Area Roundup: Prairie Central tops Dwight in softball season-opener

FAIRBURY — Although the game was played on Prairie Central’s field, the Hawks garnered a road win Thursday with a 7-4 decision over Dwight in conference play at PCHS.

Faith Fields delivers a pitch for Prairie Central against Dwight Thursday. Fields struck out 10 in picking up the victory in the circle. (Erich Murphy/Bingo Magic Sports)

The victory was the lone triumph for the Bingo Magic Sports area teams on what was opening day for most of them.

Prairie Central 7, Dwight 4

Originally scheduled to be played at Dwight, the game was moved to Fairbury and the Hawks were the visitors for the season-opening softball game for both teams. Prairie Central scored in each of the final three innings to secure the win.

Dwight’s McKenna Woodcock swings at a pitch as Prairie Central catcher Lydia Kilgus prepares to receive the pitch during the season-opening softball game for both teams Thursday in Fairbury. Kilgus and the Hawks prevailed 7-4. (Erich Murphy/Bingo Magic Sports)

The Hawks got on the board in the top of the third inning. Three consecutive one-out walks brought up PC hurler Faith Fields, who helped her cause with a two-run double as Jules Woodrey and Sam Slagel each scored. Kate Slagel then scored on an error after Lydia Kilgus lined out.

The Trojans responded wit three runs of their own in the bottom of the inning. McKenna Woodcock reached on an error and Sarah Parker singled. Both were in scoring position when DTHS hurler Madi Ely reached on an error. Woodcock and Parker scored on the play. Ely scored two batters later when Raegan Brown grounded out.

Dwight catcher Raegan Brown looks over the situation after Sam Slagel slides into home with a Prairie Central run Thursday. (Erich Murphy/Bingo Magic Sports)

Prairie Central grabbed the lead for good in the fifth frame. Fields, who reached on a bunt and was on second after a passed ball, scored on a Kilgus base knock. Kilgus moved to second on the throw in and then took third on a wild pitch. She scored on a Tenly Kurtenbach ground out to make it 5-3.

Woodcock singled to lead off the DTHS fifth, then scored two batters later on a sacrifice bunt from Ely, making it a 5-4 game.

The Hawks tacked on single runs win the sixth and seventh frames to close out the victory.

Prairie Central second baseman Kyah Creek fields a grounder in the Hawks’ softball game against Dwight on Thursday. (Erich Murphy/Bingo Magic Sports)

Creek led Prairie Central (1-0) with three hits, including a triple, while driving in a run. Sam Slagel had a double, single, run scored and run batted in while Fields collected a double, single and two RBIs. She also scored a run. Kilgus also had two hits, a run scored and a run batted in. Kate Slagel singled and scored. Woodrey, Kurtenbach and Addi Donley each scored a run.

Fields got the win in the circle. She allowed four runs (one earned) and scattered three hits. She also struck out 10 in five innings. Woodrey finished up, fanning four and giving up two hits in two innings.

Ely took the loss for Dwight (0-1) despite striking out 11 in five-plus innings. She yielded seven hits and six runs (five earned) while walking six. Taylor Heath threw the final two innings, allowing one run, three hits and three walks while setting down five on strikes.

Parker had two hits and a run scored for the Trojans and Ely had a hit, scored a run and drove in three runs. Woodcock had a hit and scored twice. Brown had a hit and RBI.

Rushville-Industry 13, United 3

At Rushville, United cut its deficit to one run before host Rushville-Industry erupted for nine runs over its final two innings at bat to temper the Red Storm 13-3 in nonconference softball Thursday.

The Rockets tallied three runs in the fifth inning and added six in the sixth to end the game.

United scored in the top of the first inning. Natali Postin reached on a bunt single and reached third base after a steal and a passed ball. Aubrey Bainter singled with two outs to plate Postin for the 1-0 lead.

After falling behind 2-1, the Red Storm knotted the game with a tally in the fourth frame. Emma Lair doubled with one out and then scored on a single from Lilly Neve, making it 2-2.

The Rockets scored twice in the last of the fourth, but United tallied a run in the fifth when Ava Westart scored on a wild pitch. Westart had singled to lead off the frame.

Postin had two hits and scored a run for United (1-1). Bainter and Neve had a single and RBI apiece while Lair and Westart each singled and scored a run.

Madi Edwards took the loss in the circle, giving top seven runs (four earned) on four hits and seven walks. She struck out two. Jackie Cairns yielded five hits, six runs (five earned) and one walk in relief.

Baseball

Roanoke-Benson 5, EPG 2

At El Paso, Roanoke-Benson struck for four runs in the top of the first inning and went on to top host El Paso-Gridley 5-2 in a nonconference baseball contest at South Pointe Park Thursday.

The Rockets tagged EPG starter Blake Harris for four runs, but the Titans answered with two markers in the bottom of the first frame. Pitching took over the rest of the way as Roanoke managed the game’s only run after the opening stanza.

Elliott Toth led off the EPG first with a walk and advanced when Owen Adams reached on an error. Toth scored on Caden Castleman’s base knock to left. Adams scored with two outs on a wild pitch.

Roanoke-Benson tacked on the game’s last run in the fourth inning for the final difference.

Castleman had a hit and run batted in while Harris also singled for the two El Paso-Gridley (0-1) hits. Toth and Adams scored the Titans’ runs.

Harris took the loss on the bump, allowing four runs (one earned) on a hit and six walks in two innings He fanned three. Adams tossed four innings of relief, giving up an unearned run, three hits and a walk while setting down six on strikes. Castleman closed it out with a scoreless frame. He walked one and struck out two.

Wilmington 13, Pontiac 0

At Wilmington, Pontiac managed just four hit in taking a 13-0 loss to Wilmington in the Indians’ season-opener Thursday.

Aden Brummel took the loss for the Tribe after allowing seven runs (six earned) on four hits and three walks in one-plus innings. He struck out two. Ryne Mackinson gave up five runs on three hits. He walked five and struck out five in 2 2-3 innings. Carson Walker finished up, yielding a run, two hits and a walk in a third of an inning.

Brummel had two singles to lead the Pontiac (0-1) offense. Henry DeYoung had a two-base hit and Walker singled.

Herscher 13, Dwight 3

At Herscher, an eight run inning buried Dwight as the Trojans suffered a 13-3 season-opening loss to host Herscher on Thursday.

The Trojans cracked the scoreboard first with two runs in the top of the first inning. Ayden Collom walked to open the game. Two outs later, Collom scored on a throwing error. This was followed by a free pass to Asher Kargle. Maddox DeLong then stroked a two-base hit that plated Kargle for a 2-0 lead.

The Tigers scored a run in the second and took the lead with three runs in the third frame.

Dwight answered with a run in the top of the fourth inning. Collom reached on a fielder’s choice and then stole second base before Evan Cox singled with two outs to drive Collom home, making it 4-3.

Herscher erupted for eight runs in the fifth inning and ended the game with a tally in the sixth.

DeLong had a double and single for Dwight (0-1). Cox, Kargle and Joey Starks each singled. Collom scored twice and Kargle scored once.

Starks took the loss on the hill, giving up four runs on three hits and two walks in three innings. He struck out four. Cox allowed eight runs (all unearned) on three hits and four walks in an inning-and-a-third. He fanned one. Jacob Wilkey gave up two hits in two-thirds of an inning and Jackson Launius allowed an unearned run and two walks in a third of an inning.

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(Go to Bingo Magic Sports on Facebook to see a photo gallery of the PC-Dwight softball game.)