By Fred Kroner
Villa Grove’s biggest inning of the year came on Wednesday (March 23) and led to the school’s first baseball victory of the season.
The Blue Devils plated 10 runs in the fourth inning and used that outburst to knock off visiting Tuscola, 11-5.
Gavin Kiser and Peyton Smith both collected three hits. Teammates Sam Bender and Carson Block contributed two hits apiece.
Bender, Block, Kiser and Luke Zimmerman notched two RBI apiece. Scoring twice apiece were Block, Smith and Parker Stevens.
Bender pitched 6 1/3 innings to earn the win. He walked four and struck out six.
Cooper Clark worked the final 2/3 of an inning, fanning one batter. He has not allowed an earned run in three appearances.
Earlier in the week, Rantoul scored twice in the bottom of the ninth inning to kayo the Blue Devils, 10-9.
Brady Clodfelder delivered three hits. Smith, Stevens and Zimmerman landed two hits each. Bender scored three runs and Zimmerman crossed home plate twice. Clodfelder knocked in two runs.
Villa Grove (1-3) returns to action on Tuesday (March 29) at Westville.
