By FRED KRONER
fred@sjodaily.com
Starting pitcher Andy Hohn — who didn’t retire a batter — stayed in the game and delivered the game-winning hit in the bottom of the seventh inning on Tuesday as Oakwood rallied at home to edge Schlarman Academy 17-16 in a wild Vermilion Valley Conference baseball game.
Schlarman carried a 16-13 lead into the final inning.
All 14 of the Comets’ hits were singles, including four by Josh Young.
Teammates Isaiah Ruch and Cayden Wells delivered two hits apiece.
Hohn and Brady Howard drove in three runs apiece.
Koby Fletcher scored three runs.
Oakwood’s fourth pitcher, Elijah Harden, retired all three batters he faced via strikeouts and earned the win.
The two teams combined for 33 hits, 20 walks and 11 errors. Collectively, the teams left 29 runners on base.
Schlarman (1-6) held a 9-0 lead in the second inning and an 11-1 win in the third inning.
On Wednesday, the Comets overcame a 7-1 deficit with a six-run seventh inning to create extra innings and then salvage a 9-7 win by scoring twice in the top of the ninth at Westville.
Noah Ruch and Hohn each totaled three hits. Howard drove in three runs.
Lucas Huchel and Jacob Spear each scored two runs.
Harden pitched three innings of hitless and scoreless relief to earn the win. He walked one and struck out five.
Oakwood returns to action on Saturday with a doubleheader at Attica, Ind.
Boys’ track and field
Cameron Helka was the lone Oakwood athlete to place among the top three in Tuesday’s eight-school meet at Catlin.
He was the runner-up in the 800 meters (2 minutes, 7.08 seconds).
Teammates Cameryn Taylor and Eli Ronk each scored points in two events.
Taylor was fifth in the 200 meters (24.90) and fifth in the 400 meters (55.58).
Ronk was sixth in the 1,600 meters (5:44.60) and seventh in the 800 meters (2:26.11).
In the 3,200-meter race, Comets Coleton Vermillion and Ethan Brewer finished back-to-back, in sixth and seventh, respectively.
Vermillion was timed in 13:02.82 and Brewer was clocked in 13:43.51.
In the 100 meters, Memphis Wilson was eighth in 12.49.
The Comets finished with 32 points and were in seventh place. Meet champion Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin totaled 166 points.
Girls’ track and field
Katelyn Young won the shot put for Oakwood on Tuesday in an eight-school meet hosted by Salt Fork.
Young’s winning effort was 38 feet, 8 inches. She was fourth in the discus (86-11).
Teammate Grace Davis placed second in the 1,600 meters with a time of 6 minutes, 14.65 seconds. Davis also ended third in the 800 meters (2:49.11).
Aaliyah Denius finished third in the high jump, clearing 4-2.
The Comets had a third-place performance from both its 800- and 1,600-meter relays.
The 800 relay featured Ashley Audo, Young, Jaylyn Bugaj and Denius.
The 1,600 unit included Denius, Bugaj, Davis and Megan Meister.
The Comets’ 400 relay garnered a fourth-place finish.
Teaming up were Haven Harrison, Meister, Bugaj and Denius.
Denius captured fourth in the 400 meters (1:09.82).
Harrison scored points in both the 100 meters (seventh in 13.92) and the 200 meters (fourth in 29.32).
Kirsten Foreman was fourth in the long jump (14-4 1/2).
Oakwood ended fifth with 65 1/2 points. Meet winner Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin amassed 168 1/2 points.
Softball
Kerrigan Shafer and Savannah Nevitt both drilled four hits on Monday as Oakwood won a Vermilion Valley Conference game at Chrisman, 20-1.
The run total was a season high for the Comets (5-4).
Kylie Neuman belted three doubles and teammate Paiton Frerichs also finished with three hits.
Kennedy Price and Karsen Rupp totaled two hits apiece for an Oakwood squad which accumulated 22 hits in all.
Neuman scored four runs and Frerichs knocked in four runs.
Neuman struck out six in three innings pitched and picked up the win. She allowed one hit.
On Tuesday, visiting Danville ended Oakwood’s winning streak at three games with a 6-3 conquest.
Frerichs and Tiffany Paris each landed two hits.
Kerrigan Shafer pitched 1 2/3 innings and took the loss.
Reliever Karsen Rupp worked the final 3 2/3 innings, matching walks, hits and strikeouts with three.
On Wednesday, Neuman pitched a four-hitter, walked no one and fanned 11. She also hit a home run and a double.
Aubrey Wells, Price, Nevitt and Neuman each had two hits. Nevitt had four RBI.
Oakwood returns to action on Friday at home against Armstrong-Potomac. The Comets have won four of their last five games.
