Area roundup: Milledgeville and AFC baseball, BV and Morrison softball win regional openers

Sauk Valley sports roundup

The Milledgeville baseball team eked out a 7-6 victory over Morrison in their Class 1A Newman Regional quarterfinal on Monday, scoring two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning after the Mustangs had scored twice in the top of the inning.

The teams were tied 2-2 when Morrison scored twice in the top of the fifth for a 4-2 lead. The Missiles answered with three runs in the bottom of the fifth, and took a 5-4 lead into the final frame.

Connor Nye singled, doubled and drove in two runs for Milledgeville, and Cayden Akers had a double, an RBI and two runs scored. Caden VanDyke singled, drove in a run and scored one, Carter Dudley doubled and drove in a run, and Kieren Harris and Peyton Urish added RBIs. Izaac Toms-Smith scored twice, and Harris and Ashton Nobis also scored runs for the Missiles.

Nye allowed four runs (one earned) and four hits in five innings, with seven strikeouts and three walks. Harris got the win in relief, giving up two runs (one earned) and one hit in the final two innings, striking out five without a walk.

Carson Strating singled, doubled, drove in two runs and scored twice for Morrison, and Mason Dykstra hit a solo home run and scored twice. Chase Decker added an RBI, and Peyton Decker scored a run for the Mustangs. Brenden Martin allowed five runs (two earned) and four hits in six innings, striking out eight and walking two. Danny Mouw took the loss in relief, giving up two runs (one earned), two hits and two walks in the bottom of the seventh.

1A Amboy Regional

AFC 12, Polo 2, 6 inn.: The Raiders took control in a regional quarterfinal in Ashton with a five-run third inning, then scored five more runs in the sixth after a two-run fifth to defeat the Marcos.

Griffin Bushman had two hits and two RBIs, and Michael Cochrane added a two-run double in the sixth for AFC (9-10). Pinch-hitter Michael Meadors followed with a walk-off RBI double to end it, driving in Auden Polk, who had two hits, scored three runs and drove in another. Evan Kopp had two hits, an RBI and scored twice, Braiden Runkle added a pair of runs, and courtesy runner Levi Near also scored twice. Carson Rueff had two hits and a run, and Mason Munroe and Dylan Gonnerman also scored runs for the Raiders.

Munroe struck out six and walked two in three hitless, scoreless innings, while Cochrane allowed two earned runs and two hits in two innings, with three srikeouts and a walk. Rueff allowed a hit and struck out two in an inning of relief.

Tyler Merdian tripled and scored, and Scott Robertson had a hit and scored. Blake Diehl had Polo’s other hit, and Jeffrey Donaldson drove in both runs with a sacrifice fly and an RBI groundout. Robertson also started on the mound, giving up five earned runs and six hits in 2 1/3 innings, with two strikeouts and two walks. Nolan Hahn allowed seven runs (five earned) and seven hits in 2 2/3 innings of relief, striking out three and walking three.

Sycamore 10, Sterling 0, 6 inn.: Daylen Stage’s single was the only hit for the Golden Warriors in a nonconference loss on the road.

Garrett Polson allowed four earned runs and three hits in two innings, striking out two and walking three. Justin Null gave up five earned runs and eight hits in three innings, with four strikeouts and a walk. Nolan Stanley pitched the final 1/3 of an inning and allowed an unearned run and one hit, with one strikeout and two walks.

The Spartans scored four runs in the second inning and four more in the fifth to pull away.

2A Winnebago Regional

Rockford Lutheran 18, West Carroll 3: The Thunder’s season ended with a run-rule loss in Rockford in a 1A regional quarterfinal.

Softball

Stillman Valley 7, Dixon 5, 8 inn.: The Duchesses couldn’t answer the Cardinals’ two runs in the top of the eighth inning in a Big Northern Conference loss at Reynolds Park.

Dixon (15-8, 12-6 BNC) scored four runs in the fourth inning to tie the game 4-4, then scored one in the bottom of the seventh after Stillman Valley took the lead with a run in the top of the inning.

Arianne Smith was 3 for 4 with two RBIs, and Bailey Tegeler and Izzi McCommons both had two hits and an RBI; McCommons doubled and scored a run. Ana-Kate Phillips had two singles and scored twice, and Ava Valk drove in a run.

Elle Jarrett gave up just two earned runs and five hits in a complete game, striking out 12 and walking three.

2A Kewanee Regional

Bureau Valley 1, Mendota 0: Madison Smith pitched a three-hit shutout to lead the Storm past the Trojans in a regional quarterfinal game in Manlius.

Tyra Sayler’s RBI double in the bottom of the first inning drove in the only run Smith would need, and she struck out 12 and walked one. Smith and Darla Kepner also had hits for Bureau Valley, which advances to the semifinals to face Erie-Prophetstown today in Kewanee.

Mendota’s Paige Manning also pitched a three-hitter, striking out 11.

2A Rock Falls Regional

Somonauk 14, West Carroll 7: The Thunder’s season came to an end with a six-inning loss in a regional quarterfinal on the road, as Somonauk took control with a nine-run second inning.

Abbey Skiles singled, doubled and drove in four runs for West Carroll, which scored five runs in the top of the first. Aspen Eizenga and Emily Watkins also had two hits each, with Eizenga ripping a double. Maddie Eppenstein, Bella Smith and Kendal Asay all added RBIs for West Carroll.

“We jumped on them in that first inning, and coming off a two-hour bus ride, it was a great start,” said West Carroll coach Don Mathey, whose team ended the season at 3-20. “We’ve been hitting the ball pretty well the last couple games against good pitching, and I felt we swung the bats pretty good today as well.

“Unfortunately, on the defensive side we struggled to throw strikes, and that’s the bottom line. Walking 10 batters is just way too many.”

Bre VerCautren had four hits and three RBIs, and she also stuck out 10 as the winning pitcher for Somonauk, which will face host Rock Falls today in the semifinals.

1A St. Bede Regional

Henry-Senachwine 4, Amboy 0: The Clippers couldn’t overcome a four-run fourth inning by host Henry-Senachwine in a regional quarterfinal loss.

Hannah Blanton had a double for Amboy’s lone hit, and she took the loss in the circle.

Lauren Harbison struck out 15 without a walk in a one-hitter for Henry-Senachwine.

1A AlWood Regional

Morrison 13, Galva 2: The Fillies rolled to victory in a regional quarterfinal at home, and will advance to today’s semifinal against host AlWood.

1A Dakota Regional

Hiawatha 10, AFC 2: The Raiders lost in a regional quarterfinal in Kirkland.

Boys tennis

Dixon 4, Princeton 1: The Dukes swept the doubles matches and split in singles play in a nonconference dual on the road.

Lucas Healy and Owen Grot won 6-1, 6-1 at No. 1 doubles, while Leith Elbzour and Logan Moeller won 6-1, 6-0 at No. 2, and Alex Ullrich and Damien Beck won 6-2, 5-1 at No. 3 doubles for Dixon.

Grant Boss added a 5-7, 6-4, 10-5 victory at No. 2 singles.

Boys track & field

Oregon 3rd at own quadrangular: The Hawks scored 38.5 points to finish behind Sycamore (140.5) and Annawan-Wethersfield (44) and ahead of Rochelle (27) at the Last Chance Quad at Landers-Loomis Field.

Daniel Dominguez led Oregon with wins in the shot put (12.04 meters) and the discus (43.79 meters), while Kenrick Oriyavong won the 300 hurdles (44.99 seconds) and took second in the 110 hurdles (18.03 seconds).

Isaac Brooks, Emmett Peterson and Trevor Burkhardt teamed with Chase Harvell to win the 4x100 (46.52 seconds), and were joined by Hunter Bartel to win the 4x200 (1:37.19).

Ty Reynolds

Ty Reynolds

Ty is the Sports Editor at Sauk Valley Media, and has covered sports in the Sauk Valley for more than two decades.