Postseason baseball/softball action today

by Steve Dunford

Like in basketball, I am only look at the games that are in front of us, taking one round at at time.

Thompsonville will be taking on Crab Orchard today in the Carrier Mills-Stonefort Class 1A Baseball regional at 4:30 p.m.  This is the only 1A regional game in the state today, as the game was moved up to accommodate Thompsonville’s graduation on Wednesday night.  I put this at the top because of the schedule change.

Rewinding to yesterday, the West Frankfort Lady Redbirds defeated the Eldorado Eagles 15-0.  Z-R-C fell to Sparta 8-6.

This afternoon in softball action, West Frankfort will play Nashville at 5:00 p.m. and Benton will play Harrisburg at 7:00 p.m at the West Frankfort Class 2A regional.

The WF- Nashville game will be broadcast on WNSV 104.7 in Nasvhville.  The Benton-Harrisburg game will be broadcast on WEBQ 1240 AM from Harrisburg.  Both stations will have the game streamed on their website.

I will be covering both games this afternoon.  I will be interviewing Kelly Mason, who does play-by-play for WEBQ.

Waltonville-Sesser-Valier will be facing the Farifield Lady Mules this afternoon at the Carmi Class 2A Softball regional.  Game time is 4:30 p.m.

The Galatia-Thompsonville Lady Cats will be facing the Gallatin County Lady Hawks this afternoon at 3:30 at the Carrier Mills Class 1A girls softball regional.

It is a beautiful day to see some action on the area diamonds.

 

Redbirds shut out by Salem in a pitchers duel

by Steve Dunford 

In the last two outings, the West Frankfort Redbirds were only able to push one run across the plate, as the Salem Wildcats defeated them 2-0 in High school baseball action this afternoon.

Wildcat pitcher Max Phillips hurled a complete game, only allowing four Redbird hits, striking out three, with one walk.

Redbird starter Noah Vance was outstanding on the hill today as well.  He pitches 6 1/3 innings, only allowing two earned runs on seven base hits, striking out three and did not walk a batter.

After the Wildcats go down in order in the top of the first, the Redbirds make some noise.  Vance hits a one out double.  Catcher Peyton Overturf reaches on an error.  Archione comes into pinch run and he is gunned down trying to steal by Salem catcher Nathan Roth, who possesses a cannon. Third Baseman Jared Clark draws a walk, and WF strands two.

Salem makes some noise in the top of the second.  Centerfielder Levi Davis is hit by a pitch, Roth singles up the middle, and 3B Cole Steward hits an RBI double up against the LF field fence that was inches from being a three run homer.

Vance works his way out of the second and third, nobody out jam by fanning the next two and a pop up.

In the third Vance works his way out of trouble again.  He is facing second and third with one out after base hits from Phillips and SS Zach Consolino, and a double steal. Clark guns down Phillips on a 5-2 ground out play at the plate.  Vance gets a fly out to center on the next pitch to make the score 1-0 Salem in the middle of the third.

The middle innings both Vance and Phillps are making quick work of the opposition.  In the top of the fourth was a highlight reel play by CF Brandon Glass.  He makes a shoe string catch, that looked like a sure base hit, and fires a perfect strike into Logan Elko, doubling off the Salem runner for an 8-3 double play.

Salem puts their second run on the board as Steward doubles into the gap, RF Dylan Owens drives him in with an RBI single.  Redbird coach Michael Warren goes to his bullpen to bring in the fireballer, Brendan Johnson.  He picks up the final two outs of the inning on just four pitches.

West Frankfort makes some noise in the bottom of the seventh as RF Bruno Herrell reaches on an error.  Second basemen Bryson Dorris gets a base hit.  DH Brendan Russell grounds into a fielders choice.  Glass then grounds out, for a 2-0 Salem Final.

The Redbirds end the regular season with a 10-12 record.  They open post season play on Thursday, in the Harrisburg Class 2A regional, playing the hosts at 4:00 p.m.

Salem improves to 16-13 on the season.  They Apollo Conference school will head south again tomorrow, playing another SIRR-Ohio school, the Herrin Tigers.

BOX SCORE

SALEM AB R H RBI
Boles LF 4 0 0 0
Phillips P 3 0 1 0
Consolino SS 3 0 1 0
Davis CF 2 1 0 0
Roth C 3 0 1 0
   Morris CR 0 0 0 0
Steward 3B 3 0 2 1
   Schoonover CR 0 1 0 0
Courtright DH 3 0 1 0
Owens RF 3 0 1 1
Schuette 2B 2 0 0 0
Banning 1B 0 0 0 0
TOTALS        
26 2 7  2

2B:  Steward (2), SB:  Phillips, Consonlino, SAC:  Schuette

Pitching IP R ER H K BB
Phillips – W 7 0 0 4 3 1
WEST FRANKFORT AB R H RBI
Wolfe LF 3 0 0 0
Vance P-SS 3 0 1 0
Overturf C 2 0 1 0
   Archione PR 0 0 0 0
Clark 3B 2 0 0 0
Elko 1B 3 0 0 0
Herrell SS-RF 3 0 0 0
Dorris 2B 3 0 1 0
Russell DH 3 0 1 0
Glass CF 3 0 0 0
Sturgill RF 3 0 0 0
   Johnson P 0 0 0 0
TOTALS 28 0 4 0

2B:  Vance, SB Russell

Pitching IP R ER H K BB
Vance – L 6 1/3 2 2 7 3 0
Johnson 2/3 0 0 0 0 0
           

 

LINE SCORE

TEAM 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E  
SALEM 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 7 2  
WEST FRANKFORT 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0

 

Lady Cats knock off the Redbirds

http://www.dailyregister.com/sports/20170514/softball-bearcats-upend-wf

GALATIA, IL – (Harrisburg Daily Register –  Please click above to read the full story.  Here is an excerpt below.)

The Galatia-Thompsonville softball team knocked off West Frankfort 5-4 Thursday night.

The Bearcats scored one run in the first, third, fourth, fifth and sixth inning, holding off West Frankfort, who put up four runs in the third inning.

Redbirds lose a heart breaker to Pinckneyville on Senior Day.

by Steve Dunford 

The West Frankfort Redbirds drop a heart breaker on Senior day losing to the Pinckneyville Panthers 7-5.  The game ended on a check swing by SS Noah Vance that was called a questionable third strike.  The Redbirds had loaded the bases, as LF Andrew Strugill picked up a base hit. Second basemen  Bryson Dorris doubled, and P Bruno Herrell walked.

There were nine seniors saluted:  Bruno Herrell, Garett Wilmore, Jaryd Clark, Zack Lindsey, Peyton Overturf, Ethan Smith, Brandon Glass, Andrew Sturgill, Noah Allen and Logan Tomaovich.  A classy move by WF coach Michael Warren, as he gave all nine of his seniors the start.  Tomanovich, the star fullback in football last fall is out injured.  Redbird head coach Michael Warren had all nine seniors in the starting lineup, which I think is very classy when a coach does that.

Starting pitcher Zach Lindsey had a tough day.  He gave up four unearned runs in the second inning behind three Redbird errors.   He also had to leave the game in the top of the fourth due to a knee injury, in a collision at the plate.  Keep him in your prayers.

After the Panthers hung four on the scoreboard in the top of the second, the Redbirds had something going in the bottom of the inning as Stugill, and part time player Noah Allen picked up base hits in the bottom of the inning and were stranded.  Overall, the Redbirds stranded 12 of the day.

The Panthers added one more run in the top of the sixth, but the Redbirds had two spectacular plays in the field.  First was CF Brandon Glass threw a perfect strike into 2B Bryson Dorris to gun down Panther 1B Justin Alspach trying to stretch out a base hit into a double.  Alspach had a big day at the plate going 3-4 driving in two.

The second was a perfect throw down to third down to third by WF catcher Peyton Overturf and the tag placed by 3B Jaryd Clark  to pick off Panthers catcher Brian Kling.

The Redbirds had a big bottom of the sixth, putting up four runs, highlighted by a leadoff triple by CF Brandon Glass  an RBI single by Herrell.  Tyson Broy cleared the bases with a three run RBI double.

Tyler Rulevish pitched five strong innings for the Panthers to pick up the win.  Kreger came out of the bullpen to pick up the save striking out four Redbirds.

The West Frankfort Redbirds (10-9) are in action this afternoon at 4:30, as they make the trip to Washington County to play the Nashville Hornets.,

BOX SCORE

Pinckneyville AB R H RBI
Chandler SS 4 1 0 1
Rulevich P-CF 2 1 1 0
   Borntincki CR 0 1 0 0
Alspach 1B 4 0 3 2
Kling C 4 0 1 0
Karns 3B 4 1 2 0
Koester DH 4 0 0 0
Kling 2B 4 1 2 0
Rice LF 4 1 2 0
Bowen CF-RF 2 1 0 0
Kurtz RF 0 0 0 0
   Clark P 0 0 0 0
   Kreger P 0 0 0 0
Totals 32 7 11 3

2B Rulevish, Kling, Carns, SB Borntincki, Kling, Chandler, Rice, Bowen

West Frankfort AB R H RBI
Herrell SS-RF-P 4 1 2 2
Willmore 2B 0 0 0 0
   Vance SS 3 1 1 0
Clark 3B 3 1 0 0
Lindsey P 2 0 1 0
   Johnson P 1 0 1 0
   Broy RF 1 0 1 3
Overturf C 4 0 0 0
Smith 1B 1 0 0 0
   Elko 1B 3 1 0 0
Glass CF 3 1 1 0
Sturgill LF 3 0 2 0
Allen RF 1 0 1 0
   Dorris 2B 3 0 1 0
Totals 32 5 11 5

2B – Broy, Dorris, 3B – Glass, SB Herrell

 

Pinckneyville IP R ER H K BB
Rulevish – W 5 1 1 6 3 1
Clark 2/3 4 4 3 0 2
Kreger – SV 1 1/3 0 0 2 4 1
Totals 7 5 5 11 7 4
West Frankfort IP R ER H K BB
Lindsey – L 3 2/3 6 1 4 2 1
Johnson 2 1 1 4 0 0
Herrell 1 2/3 0 0 1 1 0
Totals 7 7 3 9 3 1

 

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Pinckneyville 0 4 2 0 0 1 0 7 9 2
West Frankfort 0 0 0 1 0 4 0 5 11 4

 

 

 

IHSA Bass Fishing State Finals Postponed Due To High Water Levels

Press release from Matt Troha, of the Illinois High School Association

The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) announced today (May 10, 2017) that the 2017 IHSA Bass Fishing State Final Tournament, scheduled for Friday and Saturday, May 19-20 at Carlyle Lake in Carlyle, has been postponed due to potentially dangerous water levels and will be rescheduled to unfold in Carlyle later this spring.

The IHSA Board of Directors made the decision to postpone the finals based upon discussions with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers who oversee Carlyle Lake. IHSA staff members also visited the lake to assess the situation.

“We cannot hold the tournament as scheduled on May 19th and 20th due to safety concerns,” said IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson. “We hope to make a decision on the new state final date as soon as possible so that Carlyle and the qualifying schools can plan accordingly. We obviously can’t control the weather, but we can control safety, and that will always be paramount in our decision-making.”

The IHSA was forced to postpone the state final tournament in 2011 and 2013 when Southern Illinois was hit by a series of storms that produced high water levels. At that time, the tournament was conducted in early May, but was later moved back two weeks, in part, to help with weather-related situations.

“This is a unique tournament with unique obstacles,” said IHSA Associate Executive Director and Bass Fishing Administrator Kurt Gibson. “Carlyle Lake has begun to release water to lower its levels, so we think we will have a new date scheduled soon. We have navigated similar situations in the past and managed to conduct great state final tournaments. I have no doubt that will happen again in the coming weeks.”

 

 

Three Redbird hurlers combine for 1-0 two hitter against Vienna

by Steve Dunford

Noah Vance, Brendan Johnson, and Tyson Broy combined on a two hit shutout as the West Frankfort Redbirds defeated the Vienna Eagles 1-0.  It was a crisply played game as it took 1:45 to play.

The Vienna pitching was very good on the afternoon as well, Christian Pearl, Layton Edmonds, and Ryan Wright did not allow an earned run.

The only Redbird run was scored in the bottom of the second as Bryce Dorris scored on a passed ball.  The Redbirds left the bases loaded in that inning.  West Frankfort had runners on in every inning, stranding 12.

Vance also led WF at the plate on the afternoon as he went 2-4.  First baseman Tyson Elko had two hits on the afternoon for West Frankfort.   The Redbirds had 8 hits.  Third baseman Jaryd Clark made a Scott Rolen style diving stop, throwing the runner out at first.

West Frankfort improve to 10-8 on the season.  They were supposed to take the long road trip to Junction tomorrow to face Gallatin County.  The Hawks have a makeup Greater Egyptian conference game on the road facing the Crab Orchard Trojans.

The Redbirds will be at home on Wednesday facing the Pinckneyville Panthers. It will be Senior Day.

The Eagles fall to  6-13 on the season, and  will play another Franklin County team tomorrow, as they host the Zeigler-Royalton-Christopher Tornadoes, in a Black Diamond West Conference game.

BOX SCORE:

HITTING:

 

VIENNA AB R H RBI
Breeden c 2 0 0 0
Kerley cf 2 0 0 0
Pearl p-rf 3 0 1 0
Edmonds 2b-p-ss 3 0 0 0
Hyde 1b 3 0 0 0
Jacobsen 3b 3 0 0 0
West rf 1 0 0 0
Davis 2b 1 0 0 0
Wright ss-p-2b 3 0 0 0
Shell DH 2 0 1 0
Strickland lf 0 0 0 0
TOTALS 20 0 2 0

 

SAC: Davis, Breeden

WEST FRANKFORT AB R H RBI
Wolfe lf 3 0 1 0

 

Vance p-ss 4 0 2 0
Clark 3b 4 0 1 0
Lindsey rf 4 0 0 0
Overturf c 3 0 1 0
Archione cr 0 0 0 0
Elko 1b 3 0 2 0
Allen cr 0 0 0 0
Dorris 2b 3 1 0 0
B. Russell dh 2 0 1 0
Sturgill ph 1 0 0 0
Herrell ss 3 0 0 0
Johnson p 0 0 0 0
Broy p 0 0 0 0
Glass cf 0 0 0 0
TOTALS 30 1 8 0

2b, Overturf, Sb, Vance, Sturgill

PITCHING

VIENNA IP R ER H K BB
Pearl – L 4 1 0 6 4 2
Edmonds 1 0 0 2 0 0
Wright 1 0 0 0 0 0
TOTALS 6 1 0 8 4 2
WEST FRANKFORT IP R ER H K BB
Vance – W 5 0 0 1 3 2
Johnson 1 1/3 0 0 1 0 1
Broy – SV 2/3 0 0 0 0 0
TOTALS 7 0 0 2 3 3

LINE SCORE

TEAM 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
VIENNA 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2
WEST FRANKFORT 0 1 0 0 0 0 X 1 8 1

 

 

Benton – WF winners in High School Baseball Saturday…today’s action

The Benton Rangers took the long trip to Clay County Saturday morning and swept a double header from the Flora Wolves.

The Rangers won game one 8-7 with Parker Williams picking up the win in relief. Derek Oxford homered for the Rangers.   In game two, Tyson Houghland pitched a complete game in a 13-3 win.  Bryden Picklesmeyer homered for Benton.

The Rangers host the Mt. Vernon Rams this afternoon at 4:30 at Evaoldi Field.

Four hurlers combined as the West Frankfort Redbirds defeated the Eldorado Eagles 8-3 on Saturday.

The Redbirds will face the Vienna Eagles this afternoon at 4:30 p.m. at Bill McKee Field.

The Z-R-C Tornadoes host the Hamilton County Foxes at 4:30 as it is Senior Day.  The Thompsonville Tigers make the long trip to Golconda, to take on the Pope County Pirates this afternoon at 4:30.

Waltonville-Sesser-Valier will be playing in the Midland Trail Conference Tournament this week.

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Local HS baseball teams receive their post season assignments

by Steve Dunford 

The IHSA released post season assignments for High School Boys Baseball yesterday. Like I did for the postseason in basketball, I am going to break down each round for the county schools.

Here is a link to the full brackets:

https://www.ihsa.org/SportsActivities/BoysBaseball/StateSeriesInformationResults.aspx

The Benton Rangers and the West Frankfort Redbirds will be heading to the Harrisburg Class 2A Regional.  (Yes I said Benton, they are 2A in Baseball)

The Rangers are the number one seed and will play the winner of seventh seeded Johnston City Indians or ninth seeded Eldorado, Wednesday, May 17th, at 4:00 P.M. The winner advances to the championship game on Saturday, May 20th at 11:00 a.m.

The Redbirds are the number five seed, and will play fourth seeded Harrisburg on Thursday, May 18th, at 4:00 P.M.  The teams have split the season series.

The Waltonville-Sesser-Valier Spartans are the number three seed at the Farifield Class 2A Regional.  and will face the sixth seeded Carmi-White County Bulldogs, on Wednesday, May 17th at 7:00 p.m. The winner will advance to the championship game on Saturday, May 20th at 11:00 a.m.

The Zeigler-Royalton-Christopher Tornadoes are the number five seed in the Carterville Class 2A regional.  They will have a first round home game on Monday, May 15th at 4:30 p.m. against the number nine seed, the Vienna Eagles.  The winner advances to face the number three seed, the DuQuoin Indians in a semi-final game at 4:30 P.M.. Thursday at Carterville.

The winner of all three regionals, advances to the Benton Sectional.

The Thompsonville Tigers are the number seven seed in the Carrier Mills Class 1A Regional.  They will face the ninth seeded Joppa Rangers, at home on Monday, May 15th, at 4:30.  The winner will advance to face the second seeded, Crab Orchard Trojans on Wednesday, May 17th at 4:30 p.m., at Carrier Mills.

The winner of the Carrier Mills Regional advances to the Goreville Sectional.

 

Redbirds improve to .500 over win over W-S-V

by Steve Dunford 

The West Frankfort Redbirds sent 14 men to the plate in the bottom of the fourth, score nine runs, on only four base hits, to defeat the Waltonville-Sesser Valier Spartans 12-2.

The Redbirds were coming off a win yesterday against Anna-Jonesboro.  W-S-V who had not played in a week, were rusty, especially defensively.

Noah Vance pitches a complete game for the Redbirds, allowing two runs on five hits.

Charles Farmer, was making quick work of WF, not allowing an earned run until the bottom of the fourth inning, took the loss.  He just ran out of gas, losing command of the strike zone.

The first two and a half innings were played at a brisk pace, and looked like it was going to end up a low scoring pitchers duel.

MacMurray College bound Peyton Overturf picks up two hits in yesterdays win against W-S-V. Here he is picking up an RBI double in Monday's win against A-J. (Byron Hetzler - Southern Illinoisan photo)

MacMurray College bound Peyton Overturf picks up two hits in yesterdays win against W-S-V. Here he is picking up an RBI double in Monday’s win against A-J. (Byron Hetzler – Southern Illinoisan photo)

The Redbirds scored three runs in the bottom of the third as RF Zach Lindsey hit an RBI double, driving in Noah Vance who reached on an error. Lindsey later scored on a passed ball.  Peyton Overturf had an RBI base hit, driving in Jared Clark who reached on a walk.  After three it was 3-0, WF.

In the top of the fourth, Charles Farmer leads off with a base hit, CF Dalton Banach doubles to center, Seth Boles and Tanner Eubanks pick up RBI’s on ground outs.  Zach Lindsey makes a diving stop on a one hopper in RF to throw Eubanks out at first.   In the middle of the fourth it was 3-2 Redbirds.

In the bottom of the fourth, when things became ugly, the offensive highlights for the Redbirds were, pitcher Noah Vance picks up an RBI double, singles by Lucas Wolfe, Peyton Overturf, and Brendan Russel, and an RBI ground out by Jared Clark.  After four it was 12-2, West Frankfort.

The Spartans tried to get something going in the top of the fifth, with second and third, no one out, from a single up the middle from catcher Drake Houghland, and a double in the left ceterfield gap by Preston Launius.  They were left stranded, as Noah Vance strikes out two and gets a pop up for the complete game.

The Redbirds improve to 8-8 on the season and travel to DuQuoin to take on the Indians this afternoon, weather permitting.  The Spartans fall to 15-5 (?)

 

HITTING 

WALTONVILLE-SESSER-VALIER 

Player AB R H RBI
McPhail 3B-SS 3 0 0 0
Farmer P-LF 3 1 1 0
Da. Banach CF 2 1 1 0
Boles RF 2 0 1 1
Eubanks 2B-3B 1 0 0 1
Winchester SS-P 2 0 0 0
Houghland C 2 0 1 0
Launius LF-2B 2 0 1 0
Di. Banach 1B 2 0 0 0
Totals 19 2 5 2

2B Da. Banach, Launius

WEST FRANKFORT 

PLAYER AB R H RBI
Wolfe DH 3 1 1 0
Vance P 3 2 1 1
Clark 3B 1 1 0 1
Lindsey RF 2 2 1 1
Overturf C 3 0 2 1
Archione CR 0 0 0 0
Allen CR 0 1 0 0
Elko 1B 3 1 0 0
Dorris 2B 2 1 0 0
B. Russell LF 2 2 1 0
Herrell SS 1 1 0 0
Glass CF 0 0 0 0
Totals 20 12 6 4

2B- Vance, Lindsey

PITCHING

WALTONVILLE- SESSER-VALIER

Player IP R ER H BB K
Farmer (L) 3 7 3 3 6 3
Winchester 1 5 0 3 2 1
Totals 4 12 3 6 8 4

WEST FRANKFORT 

PLAYER IP R ER H BB K
Vance -W 5 2 2 5 1 5

 

LINESCORE

 

TEAM 1 2 3 4 5 R H E
Waltonville-Sesser-Valier 0 0 0 2 0 2 5 7
West Frankfort 0 0 3 9 X 12 6 0

Morgan Griffith going to suit up for the Volunteers next year

by Steve Dunford

Morgan Griffith getting the 2,000 point ball being presented by long time West Frankfort coach Matt Hampleman

Morgan Griffith getting the 2,000 point ball being presented by long time West Frankfort coach Matt Hampleman

West Frankfort all time leading scorer Morgan Griffith will be playing for the John A. Logan Volunteers next season.  She made the following statement on social media tonight.

“With my senior year coming to a close, I have re-evaluated my athletics and academics. Athletically, I have had a great high school career. Academically, I will be graduating in the top of my class and with an associate degree.”

“With this being said, after a change in my desired career, I have decided to forgo my academic/basketball scholarship at Missouri S&T. Starting next school year, I will be playing basketball and continuing my education at John A. Logan.”

“I will be finishing my prerequisites for the nursing program, hoping that I can test into the practical nursing program then work my way up. I am very excited about this decision and ready to see where life takes me after high school.”

I have enjoyed watching Morgan play over the last couple years.  I will be keeping a close eye on Logan Women’s basketball next season.

 

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