Cougars, Lancers open season with wins

Van Wert independent sports

After no high school baseball last spring due to COVID-19, the 2020-2021 season officially began on Saturday, with Van Wert and Lincolnview posting impressive victories.

Van Wert 11 Delphos Jefferson 2
Van Wert 11 Delphos Jefferson 1 (five innings)

The Cougars cruised to a season-opening doubleheader sweep of Delphos Jefferson at Smiley Park on Saturday.

In the first game, Owen Treece pitched all seven innings and allowed just three hits and struck out eight Wildcat batters on the way to an 11-2 victory.

He received plenty of support at the plate, as the Cougars jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the first inning, then added two runs in the second, third and fourth innings, before playing single runs in the fifth and sixth innings.

Jacob Place and Ethan Rupert each had two hits for the Cougars. Place also finished with three RBIs, while Rupert knocked in a pair of runs for Van Wert. Treece and Kaiden Bates each scored a pair of runs.

In the second game, Van Wert exploded for six runs in the third on the way to a five inning, 11-1 win.

Rupert had a two RBI single that scored Place and Treece, and Brylen Parker, TJ Stoller, Bates and Turner Witten each crossed the plate in the third.

The Cougars also had single runs in the first, second and fourth innings and a pair of runs in the fifth, including a two-RBI single by Stoller than scored Witten and Ries Wise.

Delphos Jefferson’s lone run came in the first when Braylon Scalf scored on an RBI single by Colin Bailey.

Place and Josh Halker each had three hits, while Rupert, Stoller and Bates each had two. Rupert added three RBIs and Stoller drove in a pair, while Bates scored three runs.

Halker pitched all five innings and gave up seven hits while striking out five.

Van Wert (2-0) is scheduled to host Spencerville at 5 p.m. today.

Lincolnview 4 Lima Sr. 0

LIMA — Landon Price and Dane Ebel combined to strike out 14 Spartan batters and Lincolnview opened the season with a 4-0 victory over Lima Sr. on Saturday.

Price went four innings and allowed just one hit while fanning nine, while Ebel pitched the remaining three innings and gave up a hit while striking out five.

Three of Lincolnview’s runs came in the second inning. Clayton Leeth doubled in Carson Fox, then Leeth and Aaron Cavinder scored on a fielder’s choice by Price. The final run was scored in the seventh when Fox stole home.

Price had two of Lincolnview’s four hits, while Fox and Leeth accounted for the remaining two.

Lincolnview (1-0) is scheduled to host Van Wert on Wednesday.