The Times Area Roundup: Marquette baseball loses pitchers’ duel; Ottawa softball rolls at home

At Masinelli Field on Wednesday, the Marquette Crusaders baseball team came out on the short end of a pitchers’ duel in their season opener, falling 3-1 to visiting Coal City.

Marquette (0-1) was held to two hits in the nonconference ballgame — a single by Tommy Durdan and an RBI double courtesy of Krew Bond, scoring Durdan in the third to tie the game 1-1.

The Coalers (1-0) responded with a single run in the fourth to retake the advantage and were themselves held to three hits on the day including a Jim Feeney (two runs scored) double. Cason Headley had two RBIs and Luke Nolan one for Coal City.

Carter Garrelts (5 IP, 1 ER, 11 K) earned the win and Austin Davy (2 IP, 0 R, 2 K) the save. Taylor Waldron (2 IP, 1 ER, 4 K) started for Marquette, with Aidan Thompson (3 IP, 0 ER, 5 K) suffering the pitching loss in relief.

Aurora Central Catholic 10, Newark 4: At Newark, the host Norsemen (0-1) dropped their season opener, trailing throughout despite a single, double and RBI off the bat of Jake Kruser as well as two RBIs courtesy of Joe Martin.

Martin (5 IP, 3 ER, 11 K) suffered the pitching defeat.

Softball

Seneca 19, Gardner-S. Wilmington 0 (5 inn.): At South Wilmington, the visiting Irish (1-0) scored seven times in the second inning and never looked back en route to the opening win, with Tessa Krull (2 IP, 0 R, 0H, 6 K) pitching the win.

Neely Hougas (single, triple, 3 RBIs), Sam Vandevelde (single, double, 2 RBIs), Cailee Bauer (single, double, RBI) and Kennedy Hartwig (two singles, double, triple, 2 RBIs) led the Seneca attack.

Newark 10, WFC 0 (6 inn.): At Newark, the host Norsemen (1-0) topped the Warriors (0-1) in a matchup of 2022 Class 1A regional champions, scoring six times in the sixth to close it out.

Kaitlyn Schofield (6 IP, 0 R, 10 K) threw a two-hit shutout to outduel Shae Simons (5 2/3 IP, 10 ER, 4 K). Schofield also homered and drove home three, with Kate Bromeland (two hits, two RBIs), Taylor Kruser (two hits, RBI) and Gwen Friestad (two hits, RBI) also leading Newark.

Ottawa 13, Geneva 2 (6 inn.): At King Field, the host Pirates (1-0) started off their season with 11 runs over the opening three innings, more than enough for winning pitcher McKenzie Oslanzi (6 IP, 1 ER, 12 K).

Maura Condon homered twice and drove home four runs for Ottawa. Oslanzi added a single and a solo homer, with Kendall Lowery, Mika Moreland and Grace Carroll driving in a pair of runs apiece. Peyton Bryson singled thrice for Ottawa, which is scheduled at home again Friday against St. Bede.

Boys track and field

Ottawa 8th at Sycamore: At the Gary Egler Indoor Meet hosted by Sycamore on Wednesday, Ottawa was eighth of nine teams, led by Matt Haerle’s 5.70-meter, fourth-place leap in the long jump.

Sandwich placed third as a team, with an event win scored by Daniel Reedy (13.84 meters in the shot put). Brodie Case (25.20 in the 200), Dayton Beatty (2:12.42 in the 800) and Simeion Harris (56.44 in the 400), Dylan Young (1.78 meters in the high jump) and Max Cryer (4:56.75 in the 1,600) added runner-up finishes.

Girls track and field

Heimsoth’s 3rd leads Ottawa: At the Gary Egler Indoor Meet hosted by Sycamore on Tuesday, Ottawa placed 10th of 10 teams, with Eva Heimsoth (third, 5:56.03 in the 1,600) and Krisee Clark (fourth, 8.94 meters in the shot put) providing the Pirates’ best finishes.

Seneca triumphs at Normal West Invite: At the Normal West Indoor Invitational at Lewis University, Seneca (72 team poins) edged Lemont (63) for the team title and the four-school event.

Scoring victories for the Fighting Irish were Caitlyn O’Boyle (7.63 in the 55-meter dash; 9.25 seconds in the 55 hurdles; 9.97 in the triple jump), Evelyn O’Connor (2:34.40 in the 800), the 4x400 relay team of Anna Bruno, Clara Bruno, O’Connor and Lila Coleman (4:16.65) and Anna Bruno (5.38 in the long jump).

Girls soccer

United Township 9, Ottawa 0: At Ottawa, the host Pirates (0-1) lost their season opener.

JV softball

Ottawa 15, Geneva 0: Madilyn Soulsby pitched the complete-game shutout, with Avery Leigh (4 RBIs) spearheading the offense.