Roundup: VW’s Wessell throws no-hitter

VW independent sports

Van Wert, Crestview and Lincolnview baseball teams each enjoyed strong pitching performances on Tuesday while the three county softball teams combined to go 3-0 on the day.

Baseball

Van Wert 4 Elida 0

ELIDA — Junior Luke Wessell tossed a no-hitter and No. 23 Van Wert shut out Elida 4-0 in the Western Buckeye League opener on Tuesday.

Wessell struck out eight and issued zero walks. Elida’s only base runner was Larkin Henderson, who was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the sixth.

The game was scoreless until the top of the sixth when TJ Stoller scored on a fielder’s choice by Wessell. Kaiden Bates and Ethan Mooney crossed home plate on an error in the seventh and Ethan Rupert singled in Kaden Shaffer for the final margin. The hit was one of four by Van Wert.

The Cougars (4-0, 1-0 WBL) are scheduled to host Bath on Friday.

Lincolnview 4 Ayersville 1

Landon Price and Evan Miller combined to hold Ayersville to one hit and No. 16 Lincolnview scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth to give the Lancers earned their first win of the season, 4-1 on Tuesday.

Price allowed a hit and struck out nine while walking one in five innings. Miller pitched two innings of no-hit ball with a strikeout and three walks.

The Pilots scored on a passed ball in the top of the fifth, but the Lancers answered with a sixth inning, two-RBI single by Caden Hanf that plated Dane Ebel and Carson Fox. Hanf scored on an RBI single by Austin Bockrath and Jared Kesler singled home Bockrath to complete the scoring.

Lincolnview (1-3) is scheduled to host Ada on Thursday.

Crestview 3 Parkway 0

CONVOY — Hits were at a premium during Tuesday’s game between Crestview and Parkway.

The Knights had just one hit in a 3-0 victory, while the Panthers finished with three hits.

Two of Crestview’s runs came in the first, when Ayden Lichtensteiger scored on a sacrifice fly by Hunter Jones and Nathan Lichtle crossed home plate on an RBI single by Isaac Kline, Crestview’s lone hit. The game’s remaining run came in the third when Carson Hunter scored on a grounder by Nick Helt.

Preston Kreischer pitched 4 2/3 innings and gave up three hits while striking out five and walking two. Lichtensteiger pitched the remaining 2 1/3 innings and didn’t allow a hit while striking out four and walking three.

Parkway’s Roman Leszinske and Hunter Bruns combined for the one-hitter.

Crestview (3-0) is scheduled to host Fort Jennings today while Parkway (1-5) is slated to travel to Versailles on Thursday.

Softball

Van Wert 9 Elida 8 (eight innings)

Elida scored five runs in the first inning but Van Wert rallied for an eight inning 9-8 at Jubilee Park on Tuesday.

Emilee Phillips, Emma Kennedy, Lauren McHugh and Alexa Gearhart each had three hits for the Lady Cougars, while Kennedy, McHugh and Gearhart each finished with two RBIs.

Phillips pitched all eight innings and struck out five while walking one.

Van Wert (1-3, 1-0 WBL) is scheduled to host Fort Recovery on Thursday.

Crestview 17 Hicksville 7 (six innings)

CONVOY — Crestview pounded out 20 hits and the Lady Knights enjoyed a six inning, 17-7 win over Hicksville on Tuesday.

Rylee Miller and Megan Mosier each had four hits, while Olivia Heckler and Michaela Lugabihl each had three. Miller and Lugabihl each drove in three runs, while Heckler, Mosier and Laci McCoy each had two RBIs.

Heckler finished with eight strikeouts.

The Lady Knights (5-1) are scheduled to play at Leipsic on Thursday.