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Hall softball bounces back to beat Princeton: Friday’s NewsTribune roundup

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Hall softball bounces back to beat Princeton: Friday’s NewsTribune roundup

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Hall softball bounces back to beat Princeton: Friday’s NewsTribune roundup

Hall 8, Princeton 4: A day after losing to the Tigresses by 15 runs, the Red Devils bounced back for a Three Rivers Conference East Division victory Friday in Spring Valley.The game was resumed from Monday with Hall leading 2-0.“We had momentum going from our strong start Monday,” Hall coach Ellie Herrmann said. “The character of our girls to come back from (Thursday) night’s loss and finish this game strongn is what we’ve been asking for and trying to tell them they’re capable of. I’m really proud of them and the support they gave to each other all game from start to finish was fun to see.”Bernie Larsen went 4 for 4 with a home run, a double, four RBIs and two runs for Hall (7-17, 3-6 TRC East), while Caroline Morris was 3 for 4 with a double, an RBI and a run and Ava Delphi doubled and drove in two runs.Madison Krewer was the winning pitcher as she gave up four runs on seven hits with six strikeouts and seven walks in a complete game.“We had it all going for us,” Herrmann said. “Key defensive plays, pitching and clutch hits. Bernie had a two-run homer, double and two singles. That’s fantastic. Caroline had a big bat. Ava had a clutch hit. Maddie Krewer kept the solid Princeton hitters off balance. We knew they were going to be great hitters. Maddie kept them to four runs with seven hits. That’s a tip of the hat to Maddie’s pitching and our defense, which was a total team effort.”Avah Oertel was 2 for 4 with a home run, an RBI and a run for Princeton (18-8, 8-2) and also took the loss in the circle.La Salle-Peru 11, Dunlap (6 inn.): Lydia Steinbach went 3 for 4 with a double, three RBIs and a run as the Cavaliers, ranked No. 14 in the latest Illinois Coaches Association Class 3A poll, beat the No. 4 Eagles in a nonconference game in Dunlap.Karmen Piano was 2 for 4 with a double, two runs and an RBI for L-P (17-12) and Taylor Vescogni was 2 for 2 with two RBIs.Vescogni earned the win in the circle as she gave up one run on two hits with 11 strikeouts and three walks in a complete game.St. Bede 12, Henry-Senachwine 1 (5 inn.): Ella Burke, Hannah Heiberger and Lily Bosnich each launched home runs as the Bruins rolled to a Tri-County Conference victory in Peru.Burke hit a two-run homer and Bosnich and Heiberger hit solo shots. Heiberger was 2 for 3 with two RBIs and two runs.Morgan Mercer went 3 for 3 with three RBIs and a run for St. Bede (22-4, 9-2 TCC) and Jillian Pinter was 2 for 3 with a double, two RBIs and a run.Macy Strauch was the winning pitcher as she gave up one run on four hits with six strikeouts and one walk in five innings.Brooklynn Thompson was 1 for 3 and drove in a run for Henry (10-9, 8-6) and Alaina Sprague was 1 for 3 with a run. Rachel Eckert was the losing pitcher.Putnam County 9, Mendota 2: Chloe Parcher homered, doubled, drove in three runs and scored two runs to lead the Panthers to a nonconference victory in Granville.Ella Irwin was 2 for 3 with a triple, two RBIs and a run for PC (9-14), while Alexis Margis doubled, scored three runs and drove in a run.Kennedy Holocker was the winning pitcher as she gave up two runs (one earned) on five hits with six strikeouts and no walks in a complete game.Leah Henkel was 2 for 3 with a run for Mendota (10-14), while Eva Beetz was the losing pitcher.Sandwich 13, Earlville 9: Savana Lawton went 4 for 4 with three doubles, three RBIs and two runs as the Red Raiders lost a nonconference game in Sandwich.Addie Scherer was 2 for 2 with a home run, two RBIs and a run for Earlville (10-8), while Bailey Miller went 2 for 3 with a triple and scored three runs.Riley Kelly was the losing pitcher.Prairie Central 14, Fieldcrest 0 (5 inn.): Lexi Watkins had the only hit for the Knights in a nonconference loss in Fairbury.Leah Armes took the loss in the circle for Fieldcrest (0-14).Hall 8, Princeton 0: In a game that was resumed from Monday, Noah Plym threw six scoreless innings to help the Red Devils to a Three Rivers Conference East Division victory in Spring Valley.Plym gave up five hits, struck out six and walked one.He also was 2 for 3 with two RBIs and a run for Hall (16-8-1, 7-2 TRC East), while Clayton Fusinetti doubled, drove in three runs and scored a run.Ryan Jagers and Stihl Brokaw each doubled for Princeton (7-12, 5-4). Jagers took the loss on the mound.Henry-Senachwine 6, St. Bede 4: Austin Keith was 3 for 4 with a run and an RBI to help the Mallards to a Tri-County Conference victory in Peru.Jacob Miller was 2 for 4 with a triple and scored two runs for Henry (10-14, 5-9 TCC), while Caleb Wiesbrock went 1 for 2 with two RBIs and a run.Ashton Sprague was the winning pitcher as he allowed four runs (one earned) on 10 hits with three strikeouts and two walks in 6 2/3 innings.Alec Tomsha was 2 for 4 with a run and an RBI for St. Bede (16-8, 8-2) and also took the loss on the mound in relief.East Peoria 10, La Salle-Peru 6: Gavin Kallis was 2 for 3 and drove in two runs as the Cavaliers lost a nonconference game in La Salle.Grey Ernat was 2 for 4 with a run for L-P (9-17) and Geno Argubright drove in two runs.Gavin Stokes was the losing pitcher.Sandwich 6, Earlville 2: Lane Rohrer was 2 for 3 with a double and a run as the Red Raiders lost a nonconference game in Sandwich.Alex Portillo was 1 for 3 with an RBI for Earlville (6-10), while Brynjar Huss took the loss on the mound.LeRoy 6, Fieldcrest 4: Layten Gerdes was 2 for 4 with a home run, two runs and two RBIs as the Knights lost a Heart of Illinois Conference game in LeRoy.Zach Overocker doubled and scored a run and Caleb Hartley doubled and drove in a run for Fieldcrest (10-12, 6-5 HOIC).Drew Overocker was the losing pitcher.At Galva: The Bureau Valley girls and boys swept the Lincoln Trail Conference Meet.Elise House won two individual events to lead the Storm girls. She won the 200-meter dash in 26.53 seconds and the 400 in 59.07.Also for BV, Madisyn Shipp won the triple jump with a leap of 10.29 meters.In the boys meet, Andrew Roth won the 110 hurdles (15.51), Morgan Mahnesmith won the triple jump (12.08) and Maddox Moore won the 800 (2:04.21). Roth and Mahnesmith ran with Keenyn Richter and Tucker Shane to win the 4x100 relay (44.35).At Tremont: Fieldcrest’s Braydin Eplin won the shot put and discus at the six-team Tremont Invite with tosses of 13.04 meters and 45.85 meters, respectively.The Knights placed sixth.The Fieldcrest girls finished fifth. Pru Mangan won the shot put (9.68) and took second in the discus (31.97).At Geneseo: Princeton tallied 36.5 points to place ninth in the 14-team McCormick Invite.The Tigers’ 4x400 relay team of Casey Etheridge, Ayden Agushi, Tyler VandeVenter and Gavin Lanham placed second in 3:59.44.Etheridge finished third in the 300 hurdles (39.9) and fifth in the 110 hurdles (15.83) Byron 4, Mendota 0: The Trojans were shut out in Mendota.

Hall softball bounces back to beat Princeton: Friday’s NewsTribune roundup

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Hall softball bounces back to beat Princeton: Friday’s NewsTribune roundup

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Hall softball bounces back to beat Princeton: Friday’s NewsTribune roundup

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Sterling’s Lily Martinez hits two home runs in win over Rock Falls: Friday’s Sauk Valley Roundup

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Sterling’s Lily Martinez hit two home runs in a 16-1 softball win over Rock Falls. Newman softball won 11-1, Forreston baseball beat Milledgeville 6-0, Dixon boys track took second in Geneseo and more in Friday’s Sauk Valley

Johnathon Stunkel throws a gem, Putnam County uses small ball in win over Mendota

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Johnathon Stunkel throws a gem, Putnam County uses small ball in win over Mendota

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Johnathon Stunkel throws a gem, Putnam County uses small ball in win over Mendota

As the innings kept passing without the Mendota baseball team getting a runner on base, Putnam County senior Johnathon Stunkel admitted he was feeling the pressure “a little bit.”The Panther ace had a perfect game through six innings before an error and a hit to start the seventh ended it.“I think somebody in the dugout mentioned it and that might have been what happened at the end, but that’s alright,” Stunkel joked.Stunkel quickly shook off the loss of his perfect game and no-hitter on back-to-back batters to induce three straight groundouts to cap off a one-hit shutout in a 3-0 nonconference victory over Mendota on senior night Friday in Granville.“I just had to get back into it and throw,” Stunkel said about keeping Mendota off the board following the base runners.Stunkel made it tough for the Trojans all game as he struck out 10 batters and did not walk any.“The curveball definitely helped me a lot today,” Stunkel said. “My curveball is probably my best pitch. I was able to pump the zone with it. Definitely starting ahead in counts helped, for sure.”Stunkel only allowed two balls to be hit out of the infield. Mendota leadoff hitter Quinn Eddy hit a pop up to shallow left field that shortstop Maddox Poole made a diving catch on in the fourth and Esten Otero hit a hard ground ball through the left side for Mendota’s only hit.“We knew we were going to be in the game with Johnathon throwing,” PC coach Chris Newsome said. “He always gives us a shot. Johnathon did a heck of a job. He set the tone.“He didn’t give any free passes and that’s No. 1 is making them earn it. We’ve been guilty of letting guys on for free. It’s really been a key point we’re trying to hammer home. And then play clean behind him, and for the most part we did that.”While Stunkel was dominant, Otero was strong for the Trojans as well.Otero started with three scoreless innings, allowing just one hit over that stretch while striking out four, including the side in the third.Otero threw five innings, giving up three runs (two earned) on four hits with six strikeouts and no walks.“That was quite a pitchers’ duel,” Mendota coach Jim Eustice said. “We didn’t have a base runner until the seventh inning. What a way for (Stunkel) to have a senior night here. I’m glad he didn’t get a perfect game, but he really threw a heck of a game and they played great defense behind him.“I thought Esten pitched fantastic. Our defense was very good. We had a couple we just couldn’t get to in the outfield.”After not doing much offensively the first time through the order, the Panthers turned to small ball in the fourth to get on the board.Stunkel led off with a double to left-center field and went to third on an errant throw into the infield.Poole put down a squeeze bunt to score Stunkel for the game’s first run.To start the fifth, Carter Hochstatter worked a full count, fouling off four pitches in the process, before hitting a double into right field.Hochstatter moved to third on a wild pitch and scored when Jacob Furar laid down a squeeze bunt. The Panthers added a run on an RBI triple by Traxton Mattingly.“Once we saw we weren’t necessarily knocking the ball around like crazy, we started going to small ball and it worked for us,” Newsome said. “It’s something we practice a lot. We know we’re not an all-star offensive team one through nine. We have some guys who can swing it and some guys are hotter than others. “During the season, you just kind of ride that roller coaster, but at any point, we could bunt one through nine. We’ll play small ball if we have to. You just have to adjust to your personnel and who’s hot and who’s not.”The Panthers improved to 15-9.“We have plenty of room to improve and that’s what we’re going to do,” Newsome said. “We’re going to keep trying to get better. You always want more as a player and as a coach. That’s what drives a lot of these guys is just showing up every single day trying to improve. Hopefully the third week of May things are rocking and rolling and you can win a few in a row.”The Trojans fell to 10-10. In Eustice’s first season as head coach, Mendota is ahead of last year as the Trojans finished 9-18-1 in 2025.“We’ve improved a ton,” Eustice said. “We got win No. 10 (Thursday), which was important to us. We’ve won four conference games (after one last season). We have two weeks left now to build up to the postseason. We have a pretty good pitching core, we played pretty good defense and our hitting has been pretty good overall this year. I think we can compete with just about anybody and we proved that tonight.”

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