ON CAMPUS: Monmouth’s Logan Komater off to solid start for Fighting Scots

Monmouth College sophomore and former Marquette Academy baseball standout Logan Komater is off to a great start for the Fighting Scots this spring.

Komater, who has started all six games in center field for Monmouth (4-2), is hitting .292 (7 for 24) with a pair of doubles and is tied for second on the team with seven RBIs. The Scots swept a doubleheader from Cornell College on Saturday, 12-10 in 10 innings and 11-7. The former Crusader went 3 for 4 with a double and two RBIs in the opener and added a pair of RBIs in Game 2.

Illinois Wesleyan University defeated North Park, 6-4, on Sunday in a College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin game. Starting pitcher Hunter Simon (sr., Seneca) got a no-decision after fanning 11 batters in 7-plus innings. On the year, Simon is 2-0 in six starts with an ERA of 3.31 with 44 strikeouts in 35 1/3 innings.

Aurora University’s Justin Sartori (jr., Sandwich) collected three hits in the Spartans’ 3-1, 5-3 doubleheader sweep of Marian University on Saturday. Sartori, who has started all 17 games for AU (15-2), is batting .292 (21 for 72) with seven doubles, a triple and 10 RBIs.

Rockford University outfielder Jared Herzog (fr., Ottawa) has played in every game for the Regents (6-9) this season. Herzog, who has five multi-hit games, is hitting .316 (16 for 57) with four doubles, a triple, 10 RBIs, 11 walks, two stolen bases and an on-base percentage of .431. He also has made two appearances on the mound, allowing no runs in 3 1/3 innings with four strikeouts.

Upper Iowa University is 8-9 to start the season. Sam Grushkin (fr., Seneca), who has played in all 17 games (15 starts) for the Peacocks, is hitting .279 (12 for 43) with two doubles, a home run, 11 RBIs, four stolen bases and a .467 OBP.

Track and Field

North Central College’s Dolan Harris (jr., Streator) placed sixth in the 3000-meter steeplechase (10 minutes, 19.75 seconds) at the Cardinals’ recent NCC 1st Chance meet.

Illinois Wesleyan University’s Cora Wilkinson (sr., Seneca) finished first in the 400 hurdles (1:05.43) and third in the long jump (17 feet, 3/4 inches) at last week’s Big Blue Invite hosted by Millikin University.

Softball

University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point pitcher Makenna Tkach (so., Marquette) picked up both wins in the Pointers’ 7-3, 3-1 doubleheader sweep of Lakeland University last weekend. Tkach started the opener and fanned two in five innings, then struck out one in three innings of relief in Game 2 to improve her record to 8-3. Tkach has made 17 appearances (10 starts) and has two saves in 72.1 innings, giving up only 52 hits with 68 strikeouts, with an ERA of 1.74, while allowing an opposing batting average of .195.

Ball State University swept a four-game, Mid-American Conference road series from Central Michigan to improve to 14-9 overall and 8-0 in the MAC. Delanie Johnson (sr., Streator) posted four RBIs, including a three-run homer, in the Cardinals Game 2 victory and added a run-scoring double in the third game of the set. Johnson has played in 13 games (all starts) and is hitting .389 (14 for 36) with three doubles, two homers, 10 RBIs and an on-base percentage of .450.

St. Ambrose University improved to 8-2 on the season after a recent doubleheader sweep of Calumet College of St. Joseph. Jazzy Bowman (so., Ottawa) went 2 for 2 in the opener and added another hit in Game 2. Grace Schmitz (fr., Streator) added a single. For the year, Bowman is hitting .267 (4 for 15) with two RBIs and four stolen bases in eight games, while Schmitz is batting .250 (3 for 12) with a double.

Women’s Tennis

North Central College’s Katie McGraw (jr., Ottawa) is 3-1 in singles play with recent CCIW victories over her counterparts from Illinois Wesleyan and North Park and is 1-4 in doubles competition for the Cardinals.

Volleyball

Western Michigan University (18-5) wrapped up play Saturday, falling to Bowling Green in the MAC Tournament championship match. Sammi Labolle (rs-so., Sandwich) played in seven matches for the Broncos this season, recording 31 kills, 12 digs and 15 blocks.