Kelsey Cuchra homers again, drives in 6 as Marquette softball tops Newark: The Times Monday Roundup

Softball

Marquette 13, Newark 11: At Newark, the visiting Crusaders (4-1) scored three times in the top of the seventh and held the host Norsemen (1-2) scoreless in the bottom half to win a back-and-forth, nonconference affair.

Marquette’s Kelsey Cuchra continued her torrid start to the season, going 4 for 4 with a double, a home run and six runs batted in. Kinley Rick added two singles a homer and three RBIs, with Hunter Hopkins contributing a pair of singles in support of starting pitcher Rick (5 IP, 5 ER, 6 K) and reliever Savannah Erickson (win, 2 IP, 6 ER, 2 K).

For Newark, Sadie Pottinger (double, three RBIs), Zoey Carlson (three hits, two RBIs), Cayla Pottinger (double, two RBIs), Brooklyn Wallin (two singles, two RBIs) and Rylie Carlson (two hits, three runs scored) led the attack in support of Cayla Pottinger (6⅔ IP, 12 ER, 6 K).

East Peoria 9, Ottawa 5: At King Field, the host Pirates (2-2) dropped the nonconference contest after holding an early lead.

Addie Russell (loss, 3 IP, 5 ER, 3 K) was the pitcher of decision for Ottawa, relieved by Kennedy Kane (4 IP, 1 ER, 3 K). Teagan Darif singled once, doubled twice and drove home two of Ottawa’s runs, the team’s only RBIs. Aubrey Sullivan, Reese Purcell and Leela Gromm each contributed a hit and a run scored.

La Salle-Peru 16, Streator 0: At the SHS Athletic Fields, the host Bulldogs (1-3) were shut out by the Cavaliers (2-5) in a seven-inning game, the visitors scoring five runs in the fifth and eight in the seventh of an otherwise close game.

Taylor Vescogni (win, 4 IP, 0 R, 8 K), Claire Boudreau (2 IP, 0 R, 4 K) and Lydia Steinbach (1 IP, 0 R, 1 K) combined on a no-hitter. Raegan Morgan (5⅔ IP, 3 ER, 3 K) was dealt the pitching defeat.

Dwight 11, Fieldcrest 1 (6 inn.): At Dwight, the host Trojans (1-1) handled the visiting Knights (1-2) in six innings.

Taylor Heath (win, 6 IP, 1 ER, 15 K) pitched the one-hitter for Dwight, with run support paced by McKenna Woodcock (three hits, two RBIs), Mikayla Ely (double, three RBIs) and Heath herself (3 for 3).

TeriLynn Timmerman walked twice and scored Fieldcrest’s lone run. Timmerman (4 IP, 6 ER, 5 K) also suffered the pitching loss.

Coal City 6, Sandwich 4: At Coal City, the visiting Indians (0-1) lost their season-opener despite home runs off the bats of Coraline Stevens (two hits, three RBIs) and Jillian Freemon (two hits, one RBI).

Abigail Johnson (6 IP, 4 ER, 6 K) added two hits and suffered the pitching loss.

Baseball

Ottawa 2, Rock Island 1: At King Field on Monday, the host Pirates (2-1-1) managed just two hits and scored in only one inning, but it was enough for the nonconference win thanks to a gem pitched by Adam Swanson (win, 6 IP, 1 ER, 7 K) and Noah Marvin (save, 1 IP, 0 R, 2 K).

Leadoff man Rizon Contreras and No. 3 hitter Colt Bryson drove in the runs for Ottawa, with Bryson and Lucas Farabaugh providing the team’s two hits.

Streator 4, Princeton 2: At the SHS Athletic Fields, the host Bulldogs (2-1-1) took the lead in the bottom of the first inning and held it throughout the win over their old NCIC rival.

Cole Winterrowd singled and tripled, Isaac Melvin provided two singles and an RBI, and Colin Byers had a hit and a run batted in for Streator, which outhit Princeton 8-4. Clay Christoff (win, 5⅔ IP, 1 ER, 5 K) started for the Bulldogs, with Maddan McCloskey (1⅓ IP, 1 ER, 1 K) finishing off the triumph.

Fieldcrest 6, Dwight 4: At Dwight, the visiting Knights (2-1) prevailed, led by Lucas May (three hits, RBI), Layten Gerdes (two hits, RBI), Zach Overocker (triple, two RBIs) and Lucas Anson (win, 5⅓ IP, 1 ER, 5 K).

Dwight (0-1) had Joey Starks deliver its lone RBI and one of its two hits in support of pitcher Jacob Wilkey (loss, 4⅓ IP, 4 ER, 3 K).

Girls track and field

FCW’s Armstrong shines at Shirk: At Bloomington’s Shirk Center, Flanagan-Cornell/Woodland sophomore Abbi Armstrong recorded a third-place finish in the 200-meter dash in 27.36 seconds and leaped to second in the long jump, traversing 5.41 meters, in the 45-school Clinton Last Chance Invitational.