Crestview, Lincolnview post big wins

Van Wert independent sports

Crestview and Lincolnview enjoyed baseball and softball sweeps on Thursday, with the Knights defeating Bluffton and the Lancers topping Spencerville.

Softball

Crestview 13 Bluffton 6

CONVOY — Bailey Gregory hit two home runs, doubled, knocked in four runs and scored three runs to help Crestview to a 13-6 Northwest Conference softball win over Bluffton on Thursday.

Gregory homered in the fourth and again in the fifth, scoring Laci McCoy both times. Katelyn Castle finished with three hits, including a pair of doubles, and four RBIs, while McCoy and Kali Small each finished with three hits. Mandy Macki drove in a pair of runs and Breena Grace had two hits including a home run in the fourth.

Crestview trailed 3-2 entering the bottom of the third, but plated three runs in the bottom of the inning, then added three more in the fourth and five in the fifth.

Olivia Heckler scattered nine hits over seven innings, striking out four. Sophie Bricker, Ashley Fleece and Kennedy Jordan each had two hits for the Pirates.

The Lady Knights improved to 10-2 over and remained perfect in the NWC (3-0), while Bluffton dropped to 2-8 (1-2 NWC).

Lincolnview 11 Spencerville 0 (five innings)

Taylor Post pitched five innings of two-hit ball and Lincolnview posted an 11-0 win over Spencerville on Thursday.

Leading 4-0, the Lady Lancers (7-2, 2-0 NWC) exploded for seven runs in the fifth inning, all with two outs. Andi Webb singled in Addysen Stevens and Hanna Young and Post drove in Annie Mendenhall and Kendall Bollenbacher.

Young finished with three hits and three RBIs while Post added three hits and a pair of RBIs. Webb had two hits and two RBIs.

Baseball

Crestview 12 Bluffton 1 (five innings)

CONVOY — Crestview raced out to an early lead and cruised to a 12-1 over winless Bluffton (0-10, 0-3 NWC) on Thursday.

The Knights (6-3, 1-2 NWC) scored five times in the first inning, including a two-RBI single by Connor Sheets that plated Hunter Jones and Logan Gerardot. Ayden Lichtensteiger doubled and scored Carson Hunter in the second.

The lead grew to 9-1 after three innings, then Crestview added three runs in the fourth, all coming with the bases loaded and a walk, a hit batsman and an error.

Bluffton’s lone run came in the third.

Lichtensteiger and Gerardot each had two hits and Nick Helt, Lichtensteiger, Gerardot and Sheets each finished with two RBIs. Tyler Hart pitched all five innings and held Bluffton to just two hits with five strikeouts and four walks.

Lincolnview 12 Spencerville 1 (five innings)

Landon Price and Dane Ebel combined to hold (3-7, 0-2 NWC) to one hit and Lincolnview (7-3, 2-0) scored nine runs in the fourth inning on the way to a 12-1 win on Thursday.

Price pitched four innings and allowed Spencerville’s only hit while recording nine strikeouts. Ebel pitched the final inning and struck out all three batters.

Leading 3-1, four of Lincolnview’s fourth inning runs came on an RBI double by Jack Dunlap that scored Carson Fox and Creed Jessee and a fielder’s choice by Ebel that plated Caden Hanf and Brandon Renner.

Collin Overholt (two doubles) and Clayton Leeth each had two hits, and Ebel, Fox and Dunlap each finished with two RBIs. Price belted a triple to lead off the fourth inning.