HS roundup: VW wins walk-off thriller

Van Wert independent sports

Van Wert rallied for a big Western Buckeye League baseball win on Tuesday while the softball and tennis teams fell on the road, and Lincolnview’s baseball and softball split non-conference games.

Baseball

Van Wert 5 Shawnee 4

TJ Stoller’s RBI single in the seventh inning gave Van Wert a dramatic 5-4 Western Buckeye League walk off win over Shawnee in a matchup of two Division II state ranked teams at Smiley Park on Tuesday.

Stoller’s line drive to left field scored Kaiden Bates and capped off a three run inning for the No. 14 Cougars (15-3, 5-1 WBL).

After Turner Witten grounded out to start the bottom of the seventh, Aidan Pratt walked and Ries Wise singled to left field. After a Luke Wessell fly ball out, Bates tripled and scored Pratt and Wise to tie the game 4-4, setting up Stoller’s heroics.

The triple by Bates came with some controversy, after the ball hit the top of the right center field fence and was caught by Maxwell. Bates was ruled out but after head coach Charlie Witten protested, the rule book was checked by the umpires and the call was overturned.

After a scoreless first inning, Shawnee (12-3, 3-2 WBL) scored a pair of runs on back-to-back RBI singles by Logan Maxwell and Sage Ebling, giving the visitors a 2-0 lead. A fourth inning solo home run by Maxwell increased Shawnee’s lead to 3-0, but Wessell put the Cougars on the board with a fifth inning RBI single that plated Witten. Two batters, later, Aidan Pratt scored by stealing home.

Jarin Bertke’s RBI single in the top of the seventh increased Shawnee’s lead to 4-2. Bertke pitched a complete game and allowed five runs (three earned) on eight hits with six strikeouts and a walk.

Owen Treece pitched 6 2/3 innings and struck out 13, walked three and allowed seven hits.

The Cougars, who are tied for first in the WBL with Defiance and Ottawa-Glandorf are scheduled to play at Crestview today.

Lima Central Catholic 4 Lincolnview 3

LIMA — A bases loaded walk in the bottom of the seventh gave Lima Central Catholic a 4-3 win over state ranked Lincolnview (No. 4, Division IV) on Tuesday.

Trailing 1-0, the Lancers scored all three of their runs on a pair of errors with two outs in the top of the fourth inning, with Carson Fox, Creed Jessee and Caden Hanf crossing home plate.

Brandon Renner and Clayton Leeth each had two hits for Lincolnview (12-5).

The Lancers are scheduled to host Delphos Jefferson on Thursday.

Softball

Lincolnview 23 Marion Local 2 (five innings)

Winter Boroff had four hits and four RBIs, while Kendall Bollenbacher, Taylor Post and Destiny Coil each had three hits as Lincolnview rolled to a five inning 23-2 over Marion Local on Tuesday.

Post, Makayla Jackman and Hanna Young each finished with three RBIs for the Lady Lancers (15-2).

13 of Lincolnview’s runs came in the first inning, including a two-RBI double by Boroff and a three-run home run by Jackman. The Lady Lancers added a pair of runs in the second inning and four more in the third, including a two-run home run by Coil and four in the fourth.

As a team, Lincolnview pounded out 19 hits and on the mound, Boroff pitched all five innings and held Marion Local to just five hits while striking out seven.

Lincolnview is slated to host Ottoville today.

Shawnee 10 Van Wert 0 (six innings)

LIMA — Shawnee pitcher Kaylee Grant held Van Wert to just one hit, a single by Hope Blythe, and the Indians defeated the Lady Cougars 10-0 in six innings on Tuesday.

Shawnee led 7-0 after two innings, then added single runs in the third, fourth and sixth innings. Haylee Wurm finished with three RBIs for the Indians (12-8, 5-1 WBL), while Grant and Allie Hutchins each drove in two runs.

Van Wert (3-8, 2-3 WBL) is scheduled to host Celina today.

Tennis

Shawnee 5 Van Wert 0

LIMA — Shawnee swept Van Wert 5-0 in Western Buckeye League tennis action on Tuesday. Match results are listed below.

First singles: Gabe Burke (S) over Jace Fast (VW) 6-1, 6-0
Second singles: Mac Davis (S) over Sam Moonshower 6-0, 6-0
Third singles: Shashank Chamamolu (S) over Bryce Miller 6-4, 5-7

First doubles: Brayden Ward and Noel Ok (S) over Micah Rager and Kaden Thomas (VW) 2-6, 7-6 (2), 6-0

Second doubles: Adam Stump and Seth Grieshop (S) over Ian Cowan and Evan Knittle 7-5, 7-5

Van Wert (5-5, 2-3 WBL) is scheduled to host Ada on Thursday.