SVM area roundup: Dixon baseball beats Byron, takes over first place in BNC

The Dixon baseball team moved into first place in the Big Northern Conference with a 5-2 road win over Byron on Tuesday.

That win, coupled with Rockford Christian’s loss to Stillman Valley, put the Dukes (13-6, 12-2 BNC) a half-game ahead of the Royal Lions (11-2 BNC).

Dixon, which managed just one hit but took advantage of walks and Tiger errors, scored two runs in the first, then tacked on three more in the top of the seventh to pull away from a 2-1 deficit.

Ari Selmani had the lone hit for the Dukes, an RBI single. Quentin Seggebruch drove in a run with a sacrifice fly, and Max Clark had the other RBI on a bases-loaded walk. Clark, Alex Harrison, Hunter Vacek, and courtesy runners Tyler Shaner and Collin Scott all scored runs.

Harrison pitched a gem for Dixon, allowing one run and six hits in 6 2/3 innings, with eight strikeouts and two walks. Bryce Feit allowed a run and three hits in the bottom of the seventh before recording the last out.

Newman 6, Mercer County 5: The Comets led 4-2 going into the sixth inning, then answered the Golden Eagles’ three-run sixth with two runs in the bottom of the seventh for a Three Rivers crossover walk-off win.

Brendan Tunink drew a walk in the seventh, then stole second and third before scoring the tying run on Nolan Britt’s RBI single. Britt then stole second and third and scored on Garet Wolfe’s sacrifice fly to win it.

Garret Matznick was 3 for 3 with a solo home run and scored twice, Kyle Wolfe had a pair of RBIs, and Britt was 2 for 3 with the late RBI and a pair of runs for Newman (12-7). Joe Oswalt added an RBI, and Tunink doubled and walked twice.

Evan Bushman pitched four innings and allowed two runs, four hits and two walks, with four strikeouts. Jaesen Johns allowed three runs in 1 1/3 innings of relief, and Matznick pitched shutout ball for the last 1 2/3 innings.

Amboy 12, Milledgeville 2 (6 inn.): The Clippers scored 10 runs in the first three innings, then added two more in the sixth for a six-inning NUIC South win over the Missiles.

Quinn Leffelman went 3 for 4 with three RBIs, and Brody Christofferson went 2 for 2 with three walks and three runs for Amboy. Christofferson earned the complete-game win, allowing five hits and two unearned runs, striking out six with two walks.

Jackson Rogers chipped in two RBIs, and Ryan Dickinson had two hits and an RBI for the Clippers.

Connor Nye went 2 for 3 and scored both runs for Milledgeville.

Eastland 7, Polo 6 (8 inn.): The Cougars trailed the Marcos 6-4 through four innings, then scored two sixth-inning runs to tie it before walking it off in the eighth.

Brady Sweitzer drew two walks and had two RBIs for Eastland, and Peyton Spears and Cole Huber scored two runs each. Allyn Geerts pitched 4 2/3 shutout innings in relief of starter Max McCullough, allowing three hits, striking out four and walking one.

Carter Merdian went 3 for 5, and Jeffrey Donaldson and Nolan Hahn added two hits each for Polo. Merdian and Brady Wolber scored two runs each.

Forreston 6, AFC 5 (9 inn.): The Cardinals forced extras with two seventh-inning runs, then walked it off in the ninth.

Brendan Greenfield went 2 for 4 with three RBIs, and Kendall Erdmann went 2 for 3 with an RBI for Forreston. Erdmann and Alex Ryia scored two runs each, and Alec Schoonhoven also had two hits for the Cardinals.

Ryia and Brendan Greenfield each pitched three scoreless innings; Ryia allowed four hits and struck out one with one walk, while Greenfield struck out two with no hits or walks. Erdmann and Alex Milnes also pitched for Forreston.

Michael Cochrane took the loss with 6 1/3 innings on the mound. He allowed four runs (three earned) and four hits, and struck out 12 with one walk.

Aaron Lester and Brock Lehman each went 2 for 5 for Ashton-Franklin Center; Lehman had two RBIs.

East Dubuque 4, Fulton 0: The Steamers dropped an NUIC West game on the road, despite out-hitting the Warrriors 4-3.

Kole Schipper had a single and a double, and Ryan Eads and Dom Kramer each added singles for Fulton. AJ Boardman allowed four unearned runs and two hits in 5 1/3 innings, striking out nine and walking three, while James Crimmins allowed one hit and one walk with a strikeout in 2/3 of an inning of shutout relief.

Angel Reyes struck out 11 without a walk in the four-hitter for East Dubuque.

Softball

United Township 5, Sterling 3: The Golden Warriors suffered a Western Big 6 loss at home, tying the game with three runs in the bottom of the third before the Panthers scored twice in the top of the fifth to take the lead for good.

Carley Sullivan was 3 for 4 with two RBIs, and Lauren Jacobs added a double and drove in a run for Sterling (16-5, 9-2 WB6). Katie Dittmar doubled, Katie Taylor singled, and both scored a run; Lily Cantu had the other run for the Warriors.

Sienna Stingley allowed five earned runs and nine hits in a complete game, striking out eight and walking one.

St. Bede 10, Newman 6: The Comets lost a tough one at home as the Bruins scored four runs in the top of the seventh to snap a 6-6 tie in a Three Rivers East game.

St. Bede scored four runs in the fourth to take a 5-1 lead, then Newman scored three in the fifth before answering the Bruins’ run in the top of the sixth with two in the bottom of the inning to tie it up.

Carlin Brady had a two-run double in the fifth, and Amiya Rodriguez hit a two-run homer in the sixth for the Comets (11-8, 6-5 TRAC East). Jess Johns had two doubles, an RBI and a run, Lucy Oetting added a single, a run and an RBI, and Madison Duhon and Ady Waldschmidt each had a base hit and scored a run.

Johns took the loss in a complete game, allowing seven earned runs, 10 hits and six walks, with six strikeouts.

Genoa-Kingston 8, Oregon 4: The Hawks lost a Big Northern Conference game on the road, as Faith Thompson led the Cogs with three RBIs while pitching a complete game.

Ella Dannhorn and Madi Shaffer each went 2 for 4 for Oregon; Shaffer had two RBIs. Ava Hackman pitched 4 2/3 innings for the Hawks, allowing two runs (one earned) and three hits, striking out four with one walk.

Thompson allowed four unearned runs and six hits, struck out five and walked one. Freshman Elizabeth Davis hit a solo home run for G-K.

Amboy 9, Milledgeville 8: The Clippers built an 8-3 lead through five innings, then answered a five-run Missiles rally with one run of their own in the sixth to hang on for the NUIC South win.

Ellie McLaughlin went 2 for 4, and Tyrah Vaessen had two RBIs and two runs for Amboy. McLaughlin pitched one scoreless, hitless inning of relief for starter Alyvia Whelchel.

Marissa Sturrup hit a triple and had two RBIs for Milledgeville; Sturrup and Maliah Grenoble scored two runs each.

Polo 9, Eastland 6: The Marcos scored four runs in the first inning and three in the second on their way to an NUIC South win over the Cougars in Lanark.

Lindee Poper had a pair of RBIs, and Karlea Frey added two singles, two runs and an RBI for Polo. Sydnei Rahn doubled and scored twice, Ali Danekas and Annalise Stamm each had two hits and an RBI, and Camrynn Jones scored two runs. Cheyenna Wilkins also drove in a run for the Marcos.

Frey allowed six runs (four earned) and 10 hits in 5 1/3 innings, striking out seven without a walk. Wilkins allowed two hits and struck out two in 1 2/3 innings of shutout relief.

Jocelyn Green doubled, homered, scored twice and drove in a pair of runs for Eastland, and Mallory Misiewicz singled, doubled and added two RBIs. Olivia Klinefelter doubled twice and drove in a run, Morgan McCullough had two hits and two runs, and Gracie Steindger had a pair of hits and scored a run.

Jenica Stoner had a double and scored a run, and she also went the distance in the circle for the Cougars. She allowed two earned runs and 10 hits, with three strikeouts and four walks.

Forreston 18, AFC 1 (4 inn.): The Cardinals scored six first-inning runs and rolled to a four-inning win over the Raiders, clinching the NUIC South title with a 9-0 record.

Aubrey Sanders went 3 for 3 with a triple, four RBIs and three runs, and Nevaeh Houston and Sydney Greenfield both had two triples and two RBIs for Forreston. Jenna Greenfield added two hits and two RBIs.

Alaina Miller earned the complete-game win, allowing one unearned run and one hit, striking out eight with two walks.

Ashton-Franklin Center scored its only run in the fourth inning.

Fulton splits vs. East Dubuque: The Steamers racked up 25 hits and scored 10 sixth-inning runs in a 20-7 six-inning win over the Warriors in Game 1 of their doubleheader at Drives Park. East Dubuque took the nightcap 12-8.

In Game 1, Brooklyn Brennan, Madyson Luskey, Emily Kane and Kira Wilson each went 4 for 5 to lead Fulton; Brennan, Resse Germann and Addison Hartman each homered, and Wilson tripled. Hartman had five RBIs on two hits, Germann had four RBIs, and Wilson and Luskey added three RBIs apiece. Brennan scored four runs, while Wilson and Germann scored three runs each.

Hartman earned the complete-game win, allowing seven runs (six earned) and eight hits, striking out seven with four walks.

In Game 2, Germann went 4 for 4 and Kane went 3 for 4; Germann, Kane and Luskey each hit a solo home run, and Annaka Hackett also homered. Wilson finished with two hits, and Hackett had two RBIs.

Girls soccer

Dixon 2, Mendota 0: The Duchesses outshot the Trojans 13-4 on goal in a nonconference win at A.C. Bowers Field.

Hanna Lengquist and Avery Burmeister scored goals for Dixon (10-6), and Carlie Cook dished an assist. Maddy McLane made four saves in goal.

Genoa-Kingston 2, Oregon 1 (OT): The Hawks suffered a heartbreaking Big Northern Conference loss in overtime on Senior Night at Oregon Park West.

Boys tennis

Rochelle 3, Dixon 2: The Dukes won both of their singles matches, but were swept in the doubles matches in a dual-meet loss to the host Hubs.

At No. 1 singles, Damien Beck defeated Ryan Ward 6-0, 6-2, while at No. 2 singles, Bashar Elbzour took down Damen Harrington 6-0, 6-0.

Newman 6, Camanche (Iowa) 3: The Comets won four singles matches and two doubles matches in a road victory across the Mississippi River.

In singles, Logan Palmer won 10-8 at No. 1 and Ryan Partington won 10-4 at No. 2, while Raul Reyes-Zamora won 10-2 at No. 5 and Sam Neisewander won 10-0 at No. 6.

Palmer and JP Ryan won 10-6 at No. 1 doubles, and Neisewander and Reyes-Zamora won 10-4 at No. 3 doubles.