Competing in the Illinois Top Times meet in Bloomington March 27, the SOV girls’ track team had several strong finishes.
Amanda McClain tied the meet record and set a new school record in the long jump with her first place jump of 18 feet, 4 3/4 inches. McClain didn’t stop there as she went on to win the 400m dash in a time of 57.52 seconds. She then made it three top medals with a win in the 200m dash (26.26). Just two Read More
Photo by Keith Stewart
When Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond’s second baseman Brooke Tabb wasn’t making back-to-back ending inning double plays, she was stepping to the plate to crush an in-the-park grand slam to win the game in extra innings last Thursday.
Brooke Tabb’s inside-the-park grand slam earns ALAH win
April 8, 2015
By Matt Kracht
NP Sports Reporter
Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond softball was down to their last out versus Oakwood trailing 3-2 in the bottom of the seventh last Thursday. In their first year under head coach Jerry Lane the young Knights quad showed off some moxy and wisdom beyond their years. Seeing Oakwood’s pitcher tiring, the Lady Knights started to work the count, crowd the pate—anything to see more pitches.
“We could tell that she was getting tired, and we were trying to do some things to get runners on and rattle her,” said Lane. “That was our main thing; we had to get runners on.”
The bottom of the seventh inning started with a leadoff walk and a fielder’s choice advancing the runner to third. With one out, a ground ball back to the pitcher sent the runner home, but she was cutdown at the plate maintaining Oakwood’s one run advantage. Heads up base running kept the Knights’ hopes alive by advancing to second on the throw, keeping the tying run in scoring position. Enter stage right Madison Brown who came up with a clutch RBI single to center tying the game and ultimately forcing extra innings. Read More
Hosting what was their first outdoor meet of the year, the Sullivan/Okaw Valley track team boasted a first place finish for its girls while the boys took second.
The Lady Red finished with 84 team points, ahead of both Tuscola (52) and Cerro Gordo-Bement (34). SOV took first in 12 events, including Amanda McClain’s top finishes in the long jump (17 feet, 6 inches) and 400m dash (59.32 seconds). Also nabbing two top individual medals was Emily Neuhauser in both the 100m dash (12.50) and 200m dash (26.03). Along with McClain, they joined Ashlynd Risley and Read More
Hart goes 4-5 in 8-0 win
April 1, 2015
by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com
There was quite a bit to like about Sullivan’s 8-0 win over Tuscola Tuesday evening.
For starters, the team defense kept the clamp down on the Warriors, backing up a solid performance at the mound by Zach Hrvol who went the distance allowing just three hits, one walk, and striking out six.
“He was very efficient all day,” said Sullivan head coach Troy Rogers. “He pitched ahead in the count and had great command of all of his pitches.” Read More
Photo by Keith Stewart
Sullivan third baseman Kailyn Boyer tries to make the putout at first with a throw over older sister Brittin.
Unearned runs compound in loss
April 1, 2015
by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com
The only thing louder than senior Brittin Boyer’s pre-game chant Tuesday were the four errors by the Lady Red against Tuscola, whether it be a missed flyout or a grounder getting underneath a glove. The errors and lack of hustle at times helped account for six of the Warriors 10 runs as Tuscola defeated Sullivan 10-3.
“I’ve got four earned runs on the day today for them. You can attribute it to spring break and not being up and doing something. You can attribute it to nerves, playing these guys for the first time. We know we’ve got them in the regional. We know we’re going to see them probably three times this year. We just didn’t come out focused,” said head coach Ben Richter. “That first inning, letting three runs in off little flare hits that we routinely make plays on and then the floodgates opened from there, and they just chipped away, chipped away with their bunts and moving people around. And they’re a good team. They had 13 hits to our seven. But whenever their hit that is a single turns into a double or a triple, because we’re not making plays on the ball, you’re not going to win games like that.” Read More
McClain throws no-hitter in 11-1 win
by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com
Taking on Cerro Gordo-Bement Wednesday in Bethany, the Lady Timberwolves’ bats and pitching were stronger than their six errors on the day, leading to their 11-1 six inning win to improve to 6-0 on the still young season.
The Lady Bombers scored their only run in the top of the third thanks to an infielder error and a safety squeeze to tie the game at 1-1.
OV responded in their half of the inning, scoring two with Amanda McClain leading off with a triple and soon after getting home on Paige Robinson’s fielder’s choice that ruled McClain safe at home. From there Amy Orris singled to left, and Robinson proceeded to sprint home on a passed ball.
Natalie Jeffers would later lead off the fifth with a single and then reach second on an infielder error. Paige Harlin’s groundout would then score the freshman to put OV further ahead 4-1. Read More
Photo by Keith Stewart
Windsor/Stew-Stras' Kendall Knop makes the tag-out at second on Okaw Valley's Paige Robinson Thursday evening.
After a week of cancelled games, OV stays hungry
March 27, 2015
by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com
It may have been a blustery, cold evening in Windsor Thursday, but it only gave reason for third baseman Kayla Wheeler to bust a few dance moves in between Amanda McClain’s solid seventh inning pitches. Just a half inning before, Wheeler’s slap play helped senior Paige Harlin get to third base, and from there, Harlin tempted Windsor/Stew-Stras’ catcher to try and throw her out on each of the following pitches, advancing 10 or so feet down the line before finally walking back to the bag, smile streaked across her face. On the fourth, a wild ball low got away from Bayleigh Tabor, and the cheeky senior did more than threaten as she ran for the plate to score OV’s final run in their 10-0 victory over the Comets.
And Thursday’s victory resembled that of their season opener against Paris a week ago Wednesday, which also marked the last time the team played thanks to periodic rains canceling three games in between.
As in their 7-2 win over Paris, OV once again did most of their offensive damage in the first two innings, though this time it amounted to seven runs.
With one out in the first, Paige Robinson got things going with a walk. Senior Amy Orris then struck out, but Harlin then laced a single to left field to put runners at first and second. Freshman Natalie Jeffers drove the two in with a triple to the left center gap. Wheeler followed with a single to left to score Jeffers, and then Jessica Robinson made it a fourth consecutive hit with an RBI triple down the third base line to put OV up 4-0. Read More
Back-to-back bunts overturn ALAH victory
March 26, 2015
By Matt Kracht
NP Sports Reporter
Coming off a big win over rival Tuscola the ALAH Knights were a half inning away from staying perfect on the season with a 1-0 victory over Monticello Tuesday. Unfortunately the baseball gods had other ideas.
Tyler Schuring who pitched six innings of shutout baseball deserved a better outcome as back-to-back sacrifice bunts by the Sages in the top of the seventh turned into hits bringing home Monticello’s first run of the contest. The Sages would add another tally in the inning on a sac fly to take a 2-1 lead and were able to hold on for the comeback win.
Nonetheless, Arthur head coach Craig Moffet thought the defense played well, and that Schuring was on top of his game.
“The defense was good today. I think the guys did a good job backing each other up,” he said. “They were really engaged and ready to play.” Read More
Photo by Keith Stewart
Brody Elder rounds third and is greeted by head coach Troy Rogers after hitting a home run in just the second at-bat of the game that put Sullivan up 1-0.
Redskins demo Mattoon in baseball opener
March 25, 2015
by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com
Friday evening’s season opener at Mattoon certainly didn’t appear to be so for the Sullivan baseball club.
The Redskins put on a stellar showcase all evening long, whether it was catcher Matthew Sparrow diving to catch a foul ball, Brody Elder smacking one over the left field wall in the game’s second at-bat, or Nick Frerichs knocking all the pins down with his grand slam in the fourth inning.
Those were just a few of the dozen or more game-changing plays that concluded with a 15-2 thumping of the typically formidable Green Wave.
“I think when these guys were freshmen, they had a couple close games with them and just barely lost to them,” said Sullivan head coach Troy Rogers, “so it was kind of nice to come out and get a win.”
It took no time at all for Sullivan to send a message.
After Alec Ballinger led-off with a strikeout, Elder stepped to the plate.
After a first-pitch ball, the senior smacked a foul to the left field wall.
If only it had stayed right.
The third pitch, Elder grabbed a hold of it again, this time driving it over the left field wall, tried and true, to put Sullivan up 1-0. Read More
Photo by Keith Stewart
Amy Orris eyes a pitch last Wednesday evening in Bethany. Orris had two solid at-bats to bring in a couple of the Timberwolves’ runs.
Solid defensive outing goes the duration
March 25, 2015
by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com
Okaw Valley’s bats were hot to start, but their gloves were warm all evening long last Wednesday when the Lady Timberwolves opened the season at home with a 7-3 win over Paris.
The strong supporting cast was behind pitcher Amanda McClain for all seven innings, committing just one error that helped lead to one of the Tigers three runs. As for McClain, going the distance included two earned runs, six hits, five strikeouts, and four walks. Perhaps her most impressive stat was the 135 pitches she threw, all of which from the first to the last, made the glove of catcher Natalie Jeffers shed dust.
“I think she’s an experienced pitcher who will definitely battle, battle, battle,” said OV head coach Dave Benning. “What I saw late in the game is that she started to rely too much on her arm, kind of getting out of rhythm and losing her stride, but she definitely pitched well today considering not getting a whole lot of reps in preseason being a two-sport athlete. I was very pleased with her effort. We certainly don’t want Amanda throwing much more over a 100 pitches, and the same would go for Maddie Perrine or even Grace Harlin,” noted Benning. “We need to be more efficient. Not work deep into the counts.”
OV got the scoring started in their half of the first after McClain led off with a single to shallow center field. McClain would steal second and then be brought home on Amy Orris’ double to the left field wall. Read More