Mackenzie Wesson powers Lexington-Ridgeview past WFC

LEXINGTON — Mackenzie Wesson delivered a bases-loaded two-base hit to lift Lexington-Ridgeview to a 6-4 victory over Woodland-Flanagan-Cornell in a nonconference softball contest at Keller Park on Friday.

Wesson’s shot to right-center cleared the bases and put the Minutemen up 6-4. It highlighted a four-run inning and completed a comeback after the hosts fell behind 4-0. Brooke Stover also had a two-base hit. Eleana Atkins and Hailey Foote had two hits apiece while Eva McCue collected a hit and two runs batted in.

Belle Payne scattered 11 hits and struck out two as Lexington-Ridgeview improved to 16-15.

WFC got to Payne early, scoring two runs in the first inning and tacking on single tallies in the second and third frames. Kaiden Connor had three hits and drove in a run for the Warriors (15-10). Olivia Chismarick had two hits while Emma Palaschack, Ella Derossett and Kaylee Henert each had a hit and run batted in. Shae Simons, Aubry Edens and Jaylei Leininger had one hit apiece. Simons took the loss in the circle despite striking out 10.

▶ Pontiac 5, Coal City 1: At Coal City, Elena Krause delivered as many hits on offense as she gave up in the circle in leading Pontiac past Coal City in a nonconference tilt Friday. Krause collected two singles and drove in two runs for PTHS at the plate. She struck out 12 while yielding just two safeties in the circle.

Bailey Masching had a solo home run in the first inning and the Amerinds did not trail the rest of the way. Maddie Gourley had three hits, including a double, and Olivia Lindsay homered for PTHS (23-7). Cadence Helms and Adriann Sutton each singled.

▶ Pontiac 11, Lincoln 10: At Pontiac, Sutton delivered a sacrifice fly that scored Kendall Pitchford with the winning run was Pontiac walked off an eight-inning nonconference victory at The Diamond at Williamson Field on Thursday. Natalie Zimmerman got the win in relief of starter Aubrey Shepherd. Zimmerman struck out one in three innings. Shepherd fanned four in five frames.

Pontiac trailed 8-2 before scoring four runs in the fifth inning and four more in the sixth to take a short-lived 10-8 lead. The Railsplitters tied it with two runs in the top of the seventh. Zimmerman had three hits and drove in three runs while Helms collected two hits and four runs batted in. Gourley and Krause had two hits apiece and combined to score five runs. Pitchford and Lily Fetgatter singled and Sutton had two RBIs.

▶ Pontiac 10, Champaign 0: At Pontiac, a pair of five-run innings and the twirling of Krause and Shepherd led to a shutout win for Pontiac at The Diamond at Williamson Field on May 7. Krause struck out nine before yielding to Shepherd, who struck out one.

Gourley led the offense with four hits. Krause and Lindsay each had two safeties and drove in a run while Masching and Tessa Collins had a hit and two runs batted in apiece. Helms, Sutton and Pitchford had one hit each.

▶ U-High 7, Prairie Central 3: At Fairbury, after giving up four runs in the top of the first inning, Prairie Central scored three runs in the bottom of the frame. But the Hawks were unable to any more in dropping the nonconference contest with U-High on May 6. Dixie Hogan took the loss and Faith Fields finished up. Both fanned one.

Kyah Creek, Lucy Whitfill and Rylee Galloway recorded one hit apiece for Prairie Central (13-16).

▶ PC vs. LeRoy, Morton: At LeRoy, Prairie Central had a rough outing on May 4 with losses to LeRoy and Morton. LeRoy scored five runs in the sixth to overtake the Hawks in the first game. Hogan fanned five in taking the loss. Fields also pitched. Woodrey homered, singled and drove in two runs while Galloway had two doubles and two RBIs in leading the offense. Hogan and Kyrsten Atkins had two hits apiece while Whitfill (RBI), Lydia Kilgus (RBI) and Creek each singled.

Woodrey took the decision in a 6-2 loss against Morton. Woodrey fanned three and reliever Fields struck out one. Kate Slagel had two hits and Whitfill had a double and run batted in. Creek, Galloway and Kyla Stephens each singled.

▶ Marquette 15-5, Dwight 1-2: At Ottawa, Dwight ended its regular season at 12-14 after dropping two games to host Marquette on Friday. Madi Ely took the loss in the opener as Marquette started strong and finished stronger. She struck out four. DTHS managed just two hits – singles from Averi Jury and Avery Scheuer.

Marquette got to Dwight hurler Jury early in the second game in picking up the win. Jury fanned two. On offense, Jury had a two-base hit and drove in two runs for the Trojans. Megan Livingston had two hits while Scheuer and Sarah Parker had one hit apiece.

▶ Putnam County 3, Dwight 0: At Dwight, in a continuation from a suspended contest, Putnam County took advantage of some Dwight miscues to claim this Tri-County Conference contest Wednesday. The game resumed in the second inning. The Panthers scored in the sixth and added two runs in the seventh inning.

Taylor Frobish and Njomza Asllani each singled after the game resumed. Megan Livingston had a hit before the game was first stopped. Madi Ely took the loss in relief. She struck out nine. Taylor Heath, who has since been injured, struck out four as the starter.

▶ Lexington-Ridgeview 5, Dwight 3: At Lexington, Makayla Ziegler belted a walk-off homer in the eighth inning to lift Lexington-Ridgeview at Keller Park. Dwight scored runs in the fifth and sixth innings to forge a 3-3. Ziegler had the one hit and two RBIs for the Minutemen. Mackenzie Wesson had a two-run homer in the first inning for a 3-1 lead. Eleana Atkins and Hailey Foote each doubled and Emilee Bratcher and Grace Grimsley each singled. Belle Payne got the win in going the distance. She struck out one.

Averi Jury homered for Dwight. Asllani and Livingston each doubled and Frobish, Sarah Parker and Ely each singled. Ely took the loss despite nine strikeouts in relief. Jury started and fanned one.

▶ Lexington-Ridgeview 10, Warrensburg-Latham 3: At Lexington, Payne spotted Warrensburg-Latham three runs in the top of the first inning and then shut down the Cardinals the rest of the way as Lexington-Ridgeview claimed a nonconference decision at Keller Park on Wednesday. Payne fanned three.

The Minutemen rallied with a run in the bottom of the first inning and took the lead for good with three runs in the second. They scored in five of the six innings they batted. Atkins had three doubles and drove in three runs while Wesson had three hits and three RBIs. Ziegler (3 RBIs) and Brooke Stover each doubled and singled. Foote, Eva McCue and Josie Thomas each singled.

▶ Peoria Christian 1, Lexington-Ridgeview 0: At Peoria, a lack of offensive support doomed Payne as Lexington-Ridgeview dropped a one-run decision on May 6. Payne struck out three and scattered six hits. Atkins, McCue and Wesson each singled.

▶ Peoria Christian 4, EPG 1: At El Paso, Peoria Christian scored three times in the first inning and went on to top El Paso-Gridley in a nonconference contest at South Pointe Park on Friday. Gracie Sieger fanned four and allowed no earned runs in taking the loss for the Titans (3-17). Sloan Gentes had a double and Alexis Elliott singled for EPG’s two base hits.

▶ Heyworth 6, EPG 5: At El Paso, Heyworth dodged a last-inning rally to edge El Paso-Gridley in Heart of Illinois play at South Pointe Park on Thursday. The Titans left the tying and winning runs on base when the last out was recorded. Tori Seggerman tripled to start the two-out rally. She also had a home run and single while driving in two runs to lead the EPG attack. Claire Stroh also had three hits, including a two-bagger, and Grace Sieger had three singles. Alexis Elliott (RBI) doubled and Ava Pinkham (RBI) singled.

Sieger took the loss in going the distance. She struck out three.

▶ Dee-Mack 10, EPG 8: At Mackinaw, El Paso-Gridley plated seven runs in the seventh inning but fell two runs short in a Heart of Illinois Conference loss to host Dee-Mack on May 7. Starter Nickelle Cummings took the loss and Sieger relieved. Both fanned two.

Elliott reached on an error to lead off the EPG seventh. The Titans followed with six hits and two walks, plating seven runs before the game ended. Tori Seggerman had three hits, including a double, and drove in two runs. Cummings had a double, single and three runs batted in. Lexi Schouweiler and Sieger each doubled while Stroh, Elliott and Gentes singled.

▶ EPG 1-6, Henry-Senachwine 6-3: At Henry, EPG was able to split a twin-bill with the host Mallards on May 4. The Titans dropped the opener as Cummings (3 Ks) and Sieger (K) shared pitching duties. Ava Pinkham got the win in the nightcap, fanning two. Tori Seggerman and Elliott had three hits apiece in the two games. Morgan Seggerman, Gentes and Cummings (2 RBIs) each doubled while Isabel Vargas, Stroh and Schouweiler (2 RBIs) had one hit apiece.

▶ Seneca 8, WFC 0: At Woodland, the host Warriors were held to five hits and were unable to score as Seneca claimed the Tri-County Conference contest. Emma Palaschak, Olivia Chismarick, Kaylee Henert, Brittany Rustman and Jaylei Leininger singled for Woodland-Flanagan-Cornell. Shae Simons took the loss despite not allowing an earned run. She fanned eight.

▶ WFC 3-2, Dwight 2-0: Woodland-Flanagan-Cornell swept Dwight in a home-and-home Tri-County Conference series on May 6 and May 7. Tiffany Rustman drove in the game-winner and Shae Simons tossed a two-hitter in the first game, played at Woodland. Simons set down 13 on strikes. Rustman had two hits and two runs batted in for WFC. Chismarick tripled and Simons and Leininger each singled.

Livingston and Avery Scheuer each doubled for Dwight. Madi Ely took the loss with six punchouts.

Simons fanned 13 in a shutout in the second game, played at Dwight. Chismarick had a double and two singles to lead the Warriors’ offense. Leininger also had three hits while Palaschak and Ella Derossett each singled.

Ely fanned seven in taking the loss for the Trojans. Jury and Ely had two hits apiece while Livingston and Frobish had one hit each.

This article originally appeared on Pontiac Daily Leader: Wesson two-bagger key as Lexington-Ridgeview tops WFC