Softball: Van Wert, Crestview post wins

Van Wert independent sports

Van Wert opened its 2021 softball season with a big victory over Delphos Jefferson, while Crestview piled up 17 hits in a 10-run win against Kalida.

Van Wert 18 Delphos Jefferson 0 (five innings)

Van Wert opened the season with a resounding 18-0 win over Delphos Jefferson at Jubilee Park on Tuesday.

11 of Van Wert’s runs came in the third inning. Emilee Phillips Sydnee Savage, Lorynn German, Marrisa Mottinger, and Alexa Gerhart scored on errors, while Phillips, German, Gerhart and Savage each drove in a run. Delphos Jefferson committed 11 errors in the game.

Carlee Young tripled and scored in the first and Kiara Saam doubled in German for a 2-0 lead. Van Wert scored three more runs in the second, including RBI singles by Savage and Young.

Phillips finished with two hits, four RBIs and three runs scored, while Savage had a pair of hits, two RBIs and two runs scored.

On the mound, Phillips allowed just four hits and struck out nine. Rileigh Rahrig, Noel Warnament, Jenna Rode and Lillian Baughn each had hits for Delphos Jefferson.

Van Wert (1-0) will play at Lincolnview today.

Crestview 14 Kalida 4

KALIDA — Behind four hits by Breena Grace and home runs by Laci McCoy and Kali Small, Crestview defeated Kalida 14-4 in non-conference action on Tuesday.

Grace singled in the second, drove in Lexi Dull with a double in the fourth, scored Bailey Gregory with a double in the sixth and singled in the seventh. She finished the day 4-4 with two RBIs and three runs scored.

Laci McCoy hit a second inning solo homer that tied the game 3-3, and Small’s seventh inning home run scored Dull.

The Lady Knights took the lead for good with two runs in the third, then added a pair of runs in the fourth, three in the sixth and four more in the seventh inning, including an RBI double by Lindsay Barnes that plated Rylee Miller, then a grounder by Micaela Lugabihl that scored Barnes.

Gregory and Katelyn Castle each had three hits and Small and Olivia Heckler each had two hits. Small and Castle each drove in three runs, Olivia Cunningham had two RBIs.

Small pitched the first four innings and struck out seven Kalida batters, while allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits. Heckler went the remaining three innings and allowed a run (unearned) on one hit with five strikeouts.

Crestview (2-1) is scheduled to host Elida today.