The Monticello Sages went 4-0 last week, picking up a conference championship along the way. Here is a recap of the week.
Monticello 11, St. Joseph-Ogden 5. A six-run bottom of the third inning set up the host Sages (15-4) to knock off the Spartans (21-6), handing them their first Illini Prairie Conference loss of the season. Luke Teschke went 2 for 3 with three RBI for Monticello, which has won four consecutive games. Biniam Lienhart added two hits and a run scored for the Sages, whose Jack Buckalew allowed two earned runs on eight hits with five strikeouts in five innings pitched. SJ-O, wouthit Monticello 10-8 but committed four fielding errors.
Monticello 22, Tuscola 1. Three Monticello players hit home runs and the Sages used a 10-run first inning to record a four-inning nonconference road win at Ervin Park. Jacob Trusner went 2 for 2 with a home run, a double and four RBI, Logan Chupp went 2 for 4 with a home run and four RBI and Teschke went 1 for 1 with a home run and three RBI for the Sages (16-4) in their fifth straight win. Carter Foran (2 for 2, double, two RBI), Matt Swartz (1 for 2, three RBI) and Lienhart (2 for 2) also contributed for Monticello, which will try to clinch an Illini Prairie Conference title on Thursday when the Sages play at Rantoul.
Monticello 12, Rantoul 0. The convincing five-inning road win clinched an Illini Prairie Conference regular-season title for the Sages (17-4, 8-1 IPC). Ike Young threw a five-hit shutout and struck out eight for Monticello, which led 3-0 after the top of the first and then tacked on eight runs in the top of the fourth. Young also went 2 for 2 at the plate. Eli Craft (2 for 3, two RBI), Teschke (2 for 3, two RBI) and Lienhart (2 for 2, RBI) also played vital roles in the historic win against the Eagles (6-15).
Monticello 12, Warrensburg-Latham 6. Monticello answered Warrensburg-Latham’s three-run top of the first with five runs in the bottom half of the inning and added two more runs in the third and another five in the fourth to double up the Cardinals in nonconference action Friday. Jacob Trusner went 2 for 4 with a double and team-high three RBI for the Sages (18-4) in their seventh straight win. Eli Craft finished 3 for 3 with two RBI, Colton Vance was 3 for 4 with a double and two RBI and Dylan Brown added to the offensive haul by going 2 for 4 with a double and two RBI.
Softball
Monticello 13, St. Joseph-Ogden 10. Marrissa Miller’s walk-off grand slam was among five home runs that Monticello (9-10) hit in an Illini Prairie Conference victory on its home field. The Sages entered the bottom of the seventh inning trailing 10-8 before Miller’s second home run of the afternoon rounded out a five-RBI performance. Emma Stoerger, Lynnsey Trybom and Sadie Walsh also homered in the victory against the Spartans (19-8).
Maroa-Forsyth 11, Monticello 2. Visiting Monticello led 2-1 after the top of the fifth inning before the host Trojans scored six runs in their half of the fifth and added four more in the bottom of the sixth to pull away for a nonconference win. Marissa Miller went 2 for 4 with a double, a home run and two RBI for the Sages (9-11). Sadie Walsh (3 for 4), Isabella Beery (2 for 3) and Lynnsey Trybom (2 for 3) also chipped in.
Monticello 4, Rantoul 1. Sadie Walsh delivered the go-ahead hit for Monticello — her RBI single breaking a 1-1 tie in the top of the seventh as the Sages held on for an Illini Prairie Conference road win. Avery Schweitzer also drove in a run for Monticello (10-11) to complement a standout pitching performance from Reese Patton. Patton threw a complete game, limiting Rantoul to three hits and striking out seven.
Fisher 4, Monticello 3. Fisher tied Friday’s game in the top of the fourth inning, took the lead with a three-run effort in the top of the fifth and held off a Monticello rally in the bottom half of the latter inning to finish off its nonconference victory. Lynnsey Trybom was 2 for 4 with a double, home run and two RBI to lead the Sages (10-12).
Soccer
Monticello 6, Uni High 1. The Sages (13-5-3) pulled away from a 2-0 halftime lead and captured a nonconference road win against the Illineks (3-8-2) on the strength of four goals from Addison Finet on assists from Tynley Jackson, Leah Renne and Audrey Shore. Renne added a goal of her own on another assist from Jackson while Elle Bodznick added an unassisted goal. Allison Nebelsick saved five shots for the Sages.
Girls track and field
At Paxton. Unity swept all four relays and both distance events to run away with Tuesday’s Illini Prairie Conference meet title. Monticello and Rantoul tied for third in the team standings. Rose Talbert led the Sages with a win in the 400-meter dash in 59.49 seconds as the only runner finishing in less than 1 minute.
Piatt County
Softball
Arcola 12, Cerro Gordo/Bement/Decatur Lutheran 1.
Keira Hohlbauch and Jacey Kessler collected three hits apiece and combined to drive in nine runs while Vanessa Condarco added two hits to motor the Purple Riders (10-6) to a Lincoln Prairie Conference win against the Broncos (0-19) on their home field. Hohlbauch allowed only one hit in five innings of work in the circle, which came off the bat of Maddie Grant.
Softb all
Tuesday
Heyworth 13, Blue Ridge 3. Blue Ridge jumped on Heyworth early with one run in the top of the first inning. Even added to its lead with two more runs in the second. But 13 unanswered runs by the Hornets in the next four innings was the Knights’ undoing in Tuesday’s nonconference road loss. Carysn Stiger went 2 of 3 with a double and to RBI to pace Blue Ridge (8-12) at the plate. Ellie Schlieper was also 3 of 3 with an RBI, and Alexis Wike and Carmen Ellis both had two hits apiece.
Baseball
Wednesday
Cerro Gordo/Bement 8, Blue Ridge 4. Tyson Moore and Kaydon Waterhouse combined to throw a one-hitter for the Broncos (8-8) in a Lincoln Prairie Conference home win. Moore threw the first five innings, striking out five and giving up Blue Ridge’s lone hit, while Waterhouse threw the final two innings and struck out four. Michael Freese went 2 for 3 to pace CG/Bement offensivey, while Ty Carlson, Kade Alumbaugh and Brenden Puckett each drove in a run. Riley Pruitt had the only hit for Blue Ridge (1-14), with Austin Wike and Caden Brown each driving in a run for the Knights.
Thursday
Le Roy 21, Cerro Gordo/Bement 0. Tyson Brent hit a grand slam and finished with five RBI, while Jack Bogema, Cole Wilson and Noah Company each drove in two runs for the Panthers (12-13) in a four-inning road nonconference win.
Track and field
At Arthur. Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond’s dominance in the distance events spurred the Knights to a Lincoln Prairie Conference Meet championship on Friday. Logan Beckmier swept the 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs for ALAH, winning the former in 4 minutes, 41.33 seconds and dominating the latter by nearly 40 seconds with a time of 9:51.48. Lyle Adcock gave the Knights a middle-distance win, too, with a victory in the 800 run at 2:06.22. Villa Grove was second as a team. Cerro Gordo/Bement was third in the team standings, and Arcola finished fifth.
In girls’ track and field
At Arthur. Cerro Gordo/Bement’s Haley Garrett won three events, Jazzi Hicks won two and the Broncos finished Friday’s Lincoln Prairie Conference Meet with a decisive team victory. Garrett placed first in the 100-meter dash in 12.91 seconds and then tripled up with a pair of field event victories. She had the top mark of 16 feet, 4 1/2 inches to win the long jump and cleared 32-0 to win the triple jump. Hicks also swept the throws for CG/B with a toss of 38-8 1/4 in the shot put and 101-11 in the discus. Host Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond was third as a team, and Blue Ridge finished fourth. The Knights’ Alexis Wike won the 200 dash in 27.78 and the high jump by clearing 4-11 3/4.