Rockets put it all together; Mustangs, Comets win in extra innings
SVN SPORTS STAFF
First-year Rock Falls softball coach Kris Nunez has been waiting for her team to put it all together. She liked what she saw Saturday, when the Rockets defeated Newman 5-1 in a nonconference game in Sterling.
"We did it all today," Nunez said. "Hitting, pitching, fielding ... we just played so good."
Lindsey Coward led the Rockets' 10-hit attack, going 2-for-4 with a double and a bases-clearing triple in the seventh. Mellysa Bluhm added two hits and two RBIs for Rock Falls (8-5), and Molly Anderson and Molly Wolber each had two hits.
Jacie Young (5-3) allowed four hits and two walks with five strikeouts to earn the win against Michele Salvatori (7-6), who struck out three and walked two. Salvatori scored the Comets' run in the first, when she was driven in by her twin sister Megan's double.
Amboy loses pair: The Clippers dropped a pair of games at the Hall Tournament.
In the opener, Amboy (5-8) dropped a 3-0 decision to the host Red Devils. Emily Schrock had a double for the Clippers.
In the nightcap, Clarissa Gidcumb pitched a no-hitter as Peru St. Bede defeated Amboy 12-0. Schrock was the losing pitcher in both games.
Prep Baseball
Morrison 7, Riverdale 2: Wade Miller's two-run single in the top of the 10th broke a 2-2 tie and propelled the Mustangs past the Rams at Alliant Energy Field in Clinton, Iowa.
Miller, Tyler VanZuiden and Derek Ward each had two RBIs for Morrison (11-4, 6-0 TRAC-8).
Starting pitcher Jason Smith of Morrison and Chase Schroeder of Riverdale each pitched shutouts for six innings, then allowed two runs each in the seventh inning. Schroeder's two-out, two-run single forced extra innings.
Ethan Smit (2-0), who threw 2 1/3 innings of no-hit relief, got the win.
Newman 2, Erie-P'town 1: Dan Baumann's RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning lifted the Comets past the Panthers at Clinton.
Baumann's hit scored Austin Blessman, who had singled with one out, stole second and went to third on a ground out by Tyler Reyes.
Ryne Newlon (2-1) went the distance to get the win. He allowed five hits and two walks while striking out nine.
Jesse Frohling, who worked the first four innings, re-entered the game in the eighth and took the loss for Erie-Prophetstown. Nick Zigler doubled and had an RBI for the Panthers.
Bureau Valley 7, Amboy 6: Cody Culjan and Justin Doty had RBIs as the Storm scored four runs in the top of the seventh for a come-from-behind victory at Clinton.
Nathan Black added a pair of RBIs for Bureau Valley. Colby Fordham drove in two runs for the Clippers, and Travis Nauman had two hits and an RBI. Dan Schrock added a pair of hits, but took the loss on the mound.
Fulton 13, Amboy 3: Eric Boonstra tripled and drove in five runs as the Steamers closed out the day at Clinton in five innings.
Ty Tiesman went the distance for the win, striking out seven and walking two for Fulton.
West Carroll 6, AFC 2: Scott Hubble had two hits, drove in two runs and picked up the save with 2 2/3 innings of no-hit baseball as the Thunder won an NUIC makeup game on the road.
Hubble struck out six in his relief, and didn't walk a hitter. Andrew Russell (4-0) got the win for West Carroll (9-3, 7-2), striking out six while allowing three hits and two walks in 4 1/3 innings. Bryan LaShelle had a single and a double, and Zach Brehm, Colt Ostrum and Reid Yochem each added an RBI.
Ethan Lundquist drove in a run for the Raiders, and he also took the loss on the mound, allowing three runs and six hits in five innings. Lundquist, Charles Friday and Kaleb Kennay all doubled for AFC.
Hampshire 14, Oregon 1: The Whip-Purs put away the Hawks with an 11-run uprising in the fourth inning.
Harlem 13, Rochelle 7: Alex Prough's three hits highlighted the Hubs' nonconference loss at Machesney Park. Jake Krause drove in two runs for Rochelle (5-6), and Prough, Trent Metzger and Jon Dicus added an RBI apiece.
