Retribution: Pontiac outlasts PBL for 4-3 IPC victory

An error on a ground ball allowed the winning run to score as Pontiac overtook Paxton-Buckley-Loda 4-3 to notch a walk-off Illini Prairie Conference baseball victory Thursday at The Ballpark at Williamson Field.

Aaron Verdun scored the game-winner, crossing home after Zechariah Landstrom's grounder with the bases loaded was misplayed. Verdun was pinch-running for Zayn Eilts, who walked with one out in the eighth inning. Jackson Crawford was hit by a pitch and Brady Donovan drew a walk to load the bases.

Pontiac had grabbed the lead early in the game when Michael Kuska homered with one out in the third inning. Henry Brummel walked to lead off the PTHS fourth. A pair of wild pitches put Brummel on third before Drew Wayman smacked a sacrifice fly to center. Brummel scored for a 2-0 lead.

PTHS starter Logan Barnett had a nightmare fifth inning as PBL scored three times to take the lead. A leadoff single made it through the infield, but the next two hits traveled a combined 90 to load the bases.

A grounder to short that might have been a double play turned into disaster as the throw to second was off the mark for an error. A fielder's choice allowed the tying run to score and the go-ahead run scored on an error.

Pontiac came back to even the score in the sixth thanks to a bit of wildness by the PBL's Vance on the mound. Barnett was hit by a pitch with one out and Wayman was walked with two outs. Barnett stole third before a pitching change was made.

A wild pitch allowed Barnett to score the tying run.

Camden Fenton had two hits and Kuska drove in a run with a homer for Pontiac (12-10, 5-4). Wayman had a hit and run batted in while Donovan singled.

Kuska got the win after an uneventful inning of relief. He allowed one hit. Barnett gave up three runs (one earned), six hits and walked one in five innings. He set down six on strikes. Wayman tossed four hitless innings of relief. He walked three and struck out four.

Prairie Central 7, Olympia 2

FAIRBURY — Prairie Central's offense clipped Olympia pitching for runs in each of the final three innings to claim a 7-2 nonconference victory at PCHS Thursday.

After allowing a go-head run in the top of the fourth inning, the Hawks tied the game in the bottom of the frame with a single marker. Gavin Tredenick scored when Connor Gibson reached on an error to make it 2-2.

Prairie Central took the lead for the first time one inning later with a pair of runs. Tredenick was involved as he reached on an error that allowed Camden Palmore and Lane Whitfill to score. Palmore had singled with one out and Whitfill was the courtesy runner for Noah Nagel, who had walked.

With a three-spot, the Hawks put the game away in the sixth stanza. Evan Hartman led off with a base hit and Easton Friedman walked with one out to start the rally. Nagel delivered in the clutch with a two-out that scored JC Spence, the courtesy runner for Hartman,making it 5-2.

Caden Addis reached on an error as Friedman and Nagel scored on the play for the final difference.

Olympia scored a run in the first inning off PC starter Hartman. The Hawks tied it at 1-1 in the second when Hartman singled with one out and the bases loaded.

Hartman had two hits and a run batted in and Palmore singled twice to help pace the Prairie Central (7-15) offense. Nagel had a hit and RBI while Tredenick and Carson Friedman each singled.

Hartman scattered eight hits, walked one and allowed two runs in going the distance on the bump. He fanned seven.

Henry-Senachwine 13, Dwight 1

DWIGHT — Henry-Senachwine had its bats rattling as the Mallards scored in each of the five innings they batted to stump Dwight 13-1 in a Tri-County Conference baseball game Thursday at DTHS.

All four Dwight (9-14) hurlers were tagged. Luke Gallet started for the Trojans and was hit for six runs (one earned), four hits and three walks in two innings. He struck out two. Terry Wilkey gave up a pair of runs, three hits and fanned one in one inning of relief. Tyler Cox yielded a run and one hit in one inning. Dawson Carr finished up by giving up four runs (two earned), two hits and two walks in one inning.

Dwight managed just four hits in the game, three coming in the fourth inning when the Trojans scored their run. Gallet singled with one out and Joey Starks walked before Evan Cox loaded the bases with a base hit. Gallet crossed the plate when Tracer Brown singled with two outs.

Brown had two hits and drove in a run for the Trojans. Gallet and Cox had the other hits.

EPG 3, Knoxville 0

EL PASO — Brady Veselack found a groove early in keeping Knoxville quiet as the Titans shut out the Blue Bullets 3-0 in a nonconference baseball tilt Thursday at South Pointe Park.

Veselack tossed a one-hitter and walked two in firing blanks at the Bullets. He struck out six as the Titans improved to 10-12.

As well as Veselack was throwing, he was being matched by Knoxville's Honeycutt, who allowed just two hits and three walks in 4 1/3 innings. However, Honeycutt also yielded three runs (one earned). He struck out nine Titans.

EPG got to the Knoxville starter for a run in the fourth inning. Will McNamara, who walked with one out, scored on a wild pitch with Jeremy Knapp at the plate.

The Titans added two runs to the lead in the fifth frame. Mac Raymer led off the inning by getting hit by a pitch. Veselack followed with a bunt base hit that resulted in a throwing error that allowed Raymer to score.

Veselack scored when Mason Vandegraft reached on a two-out error for the three-run advantage.

Veselack, Knapp and Mitchell Wilson each singled for El Paso-Gridley.

This article originally appeared on Pontiac Daily Leader: Retribution: Pontiac outlasts PBL for 4-3 IPC baseball victory