The Times Area Roundup: Carson Zellers, Logan Nelson lead Marquette baseball past WFC 3-0

The Marquette Academy baseball team used the combination of a Carson Zellers three-hit shutout and a pair of home runs by Logan Nelson to top Woodland/Flanagan-Cornell 3-0 in a Tri-County Conference game Thursday at Woodland High School.

Zellers walked one, struck out nine and threw 71 of his 99 pitches for strikes, while Nelson blasted a two-run shot in the fifth and a solo homer in the seventh. Krew Bond also had two hits and stole a pair of bases for the Crusaders (17-2, 9-1 TCC).

WFC’s Tucker Hill also went the distance, allowing eight hits while walking three and fanning five. Carter Ewing, Connor Dodge and Hill singled for the Warriors (5-11, 4-7).

Streator 8, Morton 6: At Morton, the Bulldogs scored four runs in the first inning and added four more in the fifth in the victory over the Potters.

Christian Benning singled, doubled, homered and knocked in four runs to pace Streator (14-7-1). Noah Cano had two hits, Adam Williamson had a homer and two RBIs, and Brady Grabowski doubled. Landon Muntz (4 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 5 K) and Benning (Win, 3 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K) shared efforts on the mound.

Seneca 4, Midland 0: At Varna, Paxton Giertz fired a two-hit shutout with three walks and 12 strikeouts to help the Fighting Irish to the TCC win over the Timberwolves.

Casey Clennon had three hits, including a double, and drove in three for Seneca (11-6, 9-1), while Calvin Maierhofer (double) and Giertz each posted two hits. Chase Buis also recorded a RBI.

Sandwich 21, Earlville 0 (4 inn.): At Sandwich, the Indians scored 14 runs in the second inning in the win over the Red Raiders.

Chance Lange (double, home run, two RBIs), Hunter Pavia (double, three, RBIs) and Braden Behringer had three hits apiece for Sandwich (8-11-1). Austin Marks (triple), Chris Barbor (triple, four RBIs) and Dino Barbanente (double) had two hits each. Taylor Adams (4 IP, 1 H, 2 BB, 10 K) earned the win.

Garett Cook had the only hit for Earlville.

Fieldcrest 11, Fisher 6: At Fisher, the Knights scored five runs in the fourth and four in the seventh in topping the Bunnies in the Heart of Illinois Conference game.

Jordan Heider singled, tripled twice and had four RBIs to lead Fieldcrest (5-10, 4-6). Tyler Serna (RBI), Coltin Perry (double, three RBIs) and Lucas May each had two hits, while Layten Gerdes doubled. Gerdes (2 1/3 IP, 3 H, 2 H, 2 BB, 3 K) and Heider (Win, 4 2/3 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 5 K) combined efforts on the hill.

SOFTBALL

Sandwich 5, Streator 2: At Streator, the Indians used a four-run rally in the fifth in the win over the Bulldogs.

Peyton Dudzik (7 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 5 BB, 6 K) earned the win for Sandwich (10-8). Breanna Sexton (double) and Allison Olson (double, two RBIs) each had two hits, with Hailey Hoffmann and Jillian Ashley each posting a RBI.

Kadence Ondrey had two hits for Streator (7-12), while Lily Kupec and Kylie Simpson each drove in a run. Makenna Ondrey (7 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 12 K) suffered the pitching loss.

Seneca 18, Midland 0 (4 inn.): At Varna, pitchers Tessa Krull (Win, 2 IP, 5 K) and Camryn Stecken (2 IP, 5 K) combined for a perfect game in the TCC win over the Timberwolves.

Callee Bauer (triple, four RBIs) and Neely Hougas (double, two RBIs) each had three hits for Seneca (16-4, 9-1), while Sam Vandevelde (triple, three RBIs) and Taylor Mino both had a pair of hits.

Newark 13, Somonauk/Hinckley-Big Rock/Leland 3: At Newark, the Norsemen scored four times in the first inning on the way to the Little Ten Conference win over the Bobcats.

Bre Dixon (double, two RBIs) had three hits to pace Newark (21-1, 9-0). Taylor Kruser, Peyton Wohead, Kaitlyn Schofield (double, home run, four RBIs) and Danica Peshia each had two hits. Kate Bromeland added two RBIs, and Ryan Williams and Kodi Rizzo each drove in a run. Schofield (5 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 7 K) earned the win.

Serena 16, Plano 0 (4 inn.): At Plano, the Huskers scored five runs in three different innings in the win over the Reapers.

Paisley Twait (double, home run, three RBIs) had three hits, while RayElle Brennan (RBI), Jenna Setchell (RBI), Maddie Glade and Alexis Linder (RBI) all had two hits for Serena (15-4). Hannah McNelis and Makayla McNally both drove in a pair of runs. Setchell fired a no-hitter in the circle, allowing one walk and striking out seven.

Fisher 5, Fieldcrest 4: At Fisher, the Knights fell to 2-11 overall and 1-5 in HOIC play with the loss to the Bunnies.

Pru Mangan and Ashlyn May each hit a solo home run for Fieldcrest, which gave up the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning.

GIRLS SOCCER

Streator 5, Wilmington 3: At the Streator YMCA, the Bulldogs defeated the Wildcats in the Illinois Central Eight Conference match on senior day.

Somonauk/Hinckley-Big Rock 8, Princeton 0: At Princeton, Josie Rader tallied four goals and added an assist, while Katelyn Curtis scored a goal in the Bobcats’ win over the Tigresses.

BOYS TENNIS

Streator 5, Coal City 0: At SHS Athletic Fields Courts, the Bulldogs swept all five matches against the Coalers.

Ryan Beck and Brad Minick recorded singles victories, while the doubles teams of Andrew Vogel/Brendan Christensen, Izak Gallick/Alex Gonzalez, and Clayton Lahman/Liam Martin also won.

COED TRACK AND FIELD

Marquette, Earlville compete at inaugural meet at St. Bede: The Marquette and Earlville boys and girls teams each took part in the first meet held at St. Bede Academy.

On the boys side, the Crusaders’ Caden Eller (100-meter run, high jump, long jump) won three events, while Jimmy Lawsha (400, 3,200) posted a pair of victories.

For the MA girls, Mary Jo Lechtenberg finished first in the high jump, as did the 4x400 relay team of Maggie Jewett, Olivia Tamblyn, Hailey Abbott and Lechtenberg.

Earlville’s Marissa Congdon placed second in the shot put and third in the discus.