Mendota baseball rallies to beat Putnam County: Friday’s NewsTribune roundup

BASEBALL

Mendota 9, Putnam County 8: The Trojans scored two runs in the sixth inning and two in the seventh to rally for a nonconference victory Friday in Mendota.

Braiden Freeman went 3 for 4, scored three runs and drove in two for Mendota (8-13-1), while Evan McPheeters was 2 for 4 with two RBIs and Jack Gillespie was 2 for 4 with a run and an RBI.

McPheeters was the winning pitcher in relief as he threw three scoreless innings, allowing one hit with five strikeouts and one walk.

Traxton Mattingly was 2 for 4 with a double, three RBIs and two runs for PC (16-10), while Miles Main was 2 for 4 and drove in three runs. Jaden Stoddard took the loss on the mound.

Bureau Valley 20, Morrison 6 (6 inn.): Elijah Endress was 3 for 4 with two doubles, four RBIs and two runs as the Storm cruised to a nonconference victory in Morrison.

Bracin Patnoe was 3 for 3 and scored four runs for BV (19-8), while Landen Birdsley was 2 for 3 with four runs and an RBI.

Logan Philhower threw four scoreless innings to earn the win, giving up two hits with six strikeouts and no walks.

St. Bede 1, Tri-Valley 0: Aidan Mullane singled to drive in Gus Burr in the bottom of the seventh inning to lift the Bruins to a nonconference victory in Peru.

Ranbir Saini pitched a four-hit shutout with four strikeouts and one walk for St. Bede (20-4), which won 1-0 for the second day in a row.

Hall 5, Erie-Prophetstown 1: Braden Curran went 2 for 4 with a double, a run and an RBI to help the Red Devils to a Three Rivers Conference East Division victory on the road.

Curran also was the winning pitcher as he gave up one run on four hits while striking out eight batters and walking none in six innings.

Geno Ferrari was 2 for 4 with a run and an RBI for Hall (17-10, 5-3 TRC East), while Greyson Bickett doubled and scored two runs.

Earlville 3, Sandwich 2: James Henne tossed a complete game, allowing two unearned runs on five hits with three strikeouts and three walks as the Red Raiders earned a nonconference victory in Earlville.

Aaden Browder and Grady Harp each had a hit and an RBI and Lane Rohrer went 1 for 2 and drove in a run for Earlville (8-9), which won its fifth game in a row.

Fieldcrest 5, Prairie Central 3: Jordan Heider went 3 for 4 with a double and a run to help the Knights to a nonconference victory in Wenona.

He also was the winning pitcher as he gave up three runs on 10 hits with four strikeouts and four walks in six innings.

Cooper Haugens was 2 for 4 with a double and two RBIs for Fieldcrest (13-10), while Lucas May was 2 for 4 with a run and an RBI.

East Peoria 7, La Salle-Peru 2: Kaedin Bond hit a double and a home run, scored two runs and drove in a run as the Cavaliers lost a nonconference game in East Peoria.

Jett Hill was 1 for 4 with an RBI for L-P (14-10), while Tyler Spelich took the loss on the mound.

Rockridge 5, Princeton 4: The Tigers allowed a run in the bottom of the seventh inning in a Three Rivers Conference crossover loss in Taylor Ridge.

Ace Christiansen tripled, drove in two runs and scored a run for Princeton (8-11-1), while Will Lott took the loss on the mound.

SOFTBALL

Erie-Prophetstown 4, Hall 3: Leah Burkart was 1 for 4 with two RBIs and a run as the Red Devils fell short in a Three Rivers Conference East Division game on the road.

Caroline Morris went 2 for 3 and drove in a run for Hall (4-20, 3-6 TRC East), while Brynn Blair took the loss in the circle.

Rockridge 3, Princeton 2: The Tigresses gave up two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning in a Three Rivers Conference crossover loss in Taylor Ridge.

Avah Oertel and Izzy Gibson each hit solo home runs for Princeton (13-10), while Reese Reviglio took the loss in the circle.

Morrison 9, Bureau Valley 0: The Storm did not have a hit as they suffered their third straight shutout loss in a nonconference game in Morrison.

Mallory Maubach was the losing pitcher for BV (13-13).

Sandwich 10, Earlville 0 (6 inn.): The Red Raiders had three hits in a nonconference loss in Earlville (10-8). Addie Scherer took the loss in the circle.

Prairie Central 21, Fieldcrest 3 (4 inn.): The Knights allowed 13 runs in a nonconference loss in Minonk.

TeriLynn Timmerman was 1 for 2 with a run and Liv Denk was 1 for 2 and drove in a run for Fieldcrest (0-15), while Khloe Barisch took the loss in the circle.

TRACK & FIELD

At Winnebago: Mendota’s Sebastian Carlos was a double winner as the Trojans placed eighth in the 10-team Mike Mowen Invitational.

Carlos won the 200-meter dash in 23 seconds and the 400 in 50.01 seconds. Mendota’s Komen Denault placed second in the pole vault (3.42 meters).

At Geneseo: Princeton had a strong showing in the throws at Geneseo’s McCormick ABC Invitational.

Ian Morris won the A flight discus with a toss of 48.04 meters, while Landen Hoffman won the B flight of the discus at 46.4 meters.

In shot put, Cade Odell placed second in A flight (15.42m), Morris was runner-up in the B flight (14.5m) and Hoffman won the C flight (14.21m).

Also for the Tigers, Casey Etheridge won the A flight in the 300-meter hurdles in 40.99 seconds.

Princeton finished 10th in the 16-team meet.