Area Roundup: Ottawa boys tennis victorious; Streator baseball, WFC softball get must-have league wins

At Ottawa’s King Field courts Tuesday, the host Pirates boys tennis team dropped the match at No. 1 singles but won the rest to defeat the Streator Bulldogs, 4-1.

In doubles play, Ottawa received wins at No. 1 from Will Goetz and Logan Goetsch, 6-1, 6-4, over Brenden Christensen and Andrew Vogel; at No. 2 from Ethan Krafft and Noah Gross, 6-2, 6-1, over Cooper Wahl and Quinn Baker; and at No. 3 from Karcin Hagi and Ethan Cela, 6-0, 6-0, over Alex Gonzalez and Devin Thompson.

Ottawa also won the No. 2 singles match, with Sebastian Cabrera topping Ryan Beck, 6-1, 6-0. Streator scored its victory at No. 1 singles, with Davey Rashid defeating Adam Gross, 6-0, 6-1.

SOFTBALL

Newark 5, Morris 4: At Morris, the visiting Norsemen moved to 23-3-1 with the nonconference win, led by Ryan Williams’ two-hiit, two-RBI performance, the pitching win recorded by Kaitlyn Schofield (6 IP, 3 ER, 11 K) and the save notched by Kodi Rizzo (1 IP, 0 R, 0 K).

Rizzo also helped the cause with a single, double and RBI.

Earlville 7, Hiawatha 6: At Kirkland, the visiting Red Raiders (8-9, 5-5 Little Ten) scored six runs in the first inning and held on for the one-run victory.

Brooklyn Guelde (7 IP, 8 K) pitched the complete-game victory. Alexis Olson (double, three RBIs), Madyson Olson (three hits, RBI) and Elizabeth Browder (two hits, RBI) led the Red Raiders offense.

WFC 10, Henry-Sen. 0 (6 inn.): At rural Streator, host Woodland/Flanagan-Cornell (18-5, 9-2 Tri-County) scored a senior day win, finished the sweep of the Mallards and kept itself alive in the conference race heading into Wednesday’s showdown at conference-leading Seneca.

Shae Simons (6 IP, 0 R, 9 K) pitched her second straight shutout, allowing only three hits while the Warriors’ offense was led by Ella Sibert (triple, RBI), Kayleigh Osterdock (double, two singles, RBI), Ella Derossett (double, two RBIs) and Jena Easton (single, three runs scored).

Seneca 15, Dwight 5 (6 inn.): At Seneca, the Fighting Irish (19-6 overall, 12-1 TCC) clinched at least a share of the Tri-County Conference title with Wednesday’s visit from contender WFC looming, scoring in every inning while Alyssa Zellers (4 IP, 2 ER, 4 K) pitched the win.

Sam Vandevelde had a huge day, hitting for the cycle by going 5 for 5 with a home run, a triple, two doubles, a single, five RBIs and three runs scored. Alyssa Zellers (two doubles), Maddy Klicker (two singles, RBI) and Taya Roe (single, double, RBI) also spearheaded the Seneca attack on senior day.

Streator 6, Reed-Custer 5: At Braidwood, the visiting Bulldogs (12-12 overall, 5-6 Illinois Central Eight) completed the ICE Conference sweep of the Comets to climb back to the .500 mark, holding off a seventh-inning Reed-Custer rally for the second consecutive day.

Ottawa 15, Plano 2 (5 inn.): At Plano, the visiting Pirates improved to 16-6 on the season and 9-3 on the Interstate Eight Conference loop, scoring in every turn at bat while McKenzie Oslanzi (win, 2 IP, 0 R, 5 K) and Maura Condon (save, 3 IP, 0 ER, 9 K) did the work in the circle.

Brynne Sember was 4 for 4 with three doubles, two RBIs and four runs scored for Ottawa. Marlie Orlandi added three hits, three runs and an RBI, Grace Carroll and Hailey Larsen each drove in two runs, and Oslanzi helped her own cause with two doubles and three runs batted in.

The Pirates’ originally scheduled road game on Wednesday at Rochelle now will be played at home.

BASEBALL

Ottawa 15, Mendota 7: At Mendota, the Pirates (13-9) visited their old North Central Illinois Conference rivals and brought home a victory, scoring five runs in the second and seven in the seventh to secure the win.

Luke Cushing batted 4 for 5 with a double, four RBIs and three runs scored to pace the Ottawa offense. Ryan Chamberlain added three hits and three RBIs, while Aiden Mucci contributed two hits, two RBIs and four runs scored in support of starting pitcher Payton Mangold (3 IP, 0 ER, 2 K) and winning pitcher Conner Price (3 IP, 0 ER, 4 K).

Plano 15, Sandwich 9: At Sandwich, the host Indians surrendered five-run and six-run innings in the loss to their I-8 archrival.

Andy Golinski had three hits (including a triple) and three RBIs for Sandwich, with Taylor Adams adding two hits and three RBIs. Chance Lange (4 IP, 9 ER, 5 K) was dealt the loss.

Streator 9, Reed-Custer 3: At Braidwood, the Diamond Dogs (15-7, 11-2 Illinois Central Eight) closed out the sweep and kept their conference-title destiny in their paws heading into Thursday’s home showdown with first-place Coal City.

Jack Starkey homered twice in three at-bats and drove home four runs for Streator, with Sean McGurk (two RBIs) and Adam Williamson (three hits, one RBI) also tagging longballs. Nolan Barr added a pair of hits and a run batted in in support of winning pitcher Parker Phillis (7 IP, 2 ER, 4 K) and his complete-game effort on the bump.

Seneca 7, Dwight 2: At Seneca, Dalton Degrush doubled and drove home two runs, while Matt Cruise pitched the win (6 1/3 IP, 1 ER, 17 K) allowing only two hits and breaking the school’s single-game strikeout record while tagging two hits of his own with two RBIs as the host Irish finished the Tri-County sweep.

Noah Quigley (single, double, RBI) and Aiden Wood (two singles, RBI) also led the Seneca attack.

Henry-Sen. 12, WFC 1: At the Windy Confines, host Woodland/Flanagan-Cornell fell to its Tri-County Conference rival on senior day.

Fieldcrest 6, Heyworth 5: At Heyworth, the visiting Knights (7-9) built a four-run lead and then held on late for the Heart of Illinois Conference win.

Reliever Koltin Kearfott (4 1/3 IP, 2 ER, 3 K) pitched the win, with Kearfott and Timmy Luckey each driving in a pair of Fieldcrest runs. Jordan Heider added a single, a double and a run batted in.

Newark 15, Leland 0 (4 inn.): At Leland, the visiting Norsemen moved to 19-5 on the season and 15-0 in the Little Ten, clinching at least a share of the conference championship.

Cole Reibel singled, tripled and drove in four Newark runs, while Lucas Pasakarnis singled once, doubled twice, scored three runs and drove home three more. Mitchell Kruser (two RBIs) and Joe Martin (two hits, one RBI) also paced the Newark attack in support of three pitchers – Caden Wheeler, Jake Kruser and Jackson Walker – combining on the shutout.

Serena 8, Hinckley-Big Rock 7: At Serena, the hosts received a walk-off, two-run hit from Dylan Cartwright to score the thrilling Little Ten triumph and improve to 13-9 overall (10-3 LTC).

Cartwright finished with five RBIs on his two hits, with Tanner Faivre also driving in a Serena tally. Carson Baker and Hudson Stafford each provided a pair of hits in support of winning pitcher Hunter Staton (4 IP, 2 ER, 8 K) in relief of Faivre (3 IP, 4 ER, 4 K).

Hiawatha 12, Earlville 2 (6 inn.): At Kirkland, the visiting Red Raiders (2-15) were dealt the Little Ten defeat despite two-hit efforts from Jeremy Weymouth and Garett Cook (RBI).

Ryan Browder (1 1/3 IP, 7 ER, 2 K) suffered the pitching loss.

JV BOYS TENNIS

Ottawa 5, Streator 0: At Ottawa, the host Corsairs swept the Bullpups with victories scored by Ethan Farr and Aric Threadgill (8-0), Duncan Perry and Nolan Swartzmiller (8-0), Rylan Salas and Tucker Ditchfield (8-3), Alan Sifuentes and Collin Olszewski (8-0) and Landen Thorsen and Caden Walter (8-0).