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BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS
Sports Editor, RTC
Softball
Warsaw 3, Tippecanoe Valley 2: Brittany Benn had two hits and a run scored for Valley in a road loss to Warsaw on May 21. Mercedes Snapp had a double, and Molly Moriarty had a triple. Kayleena Agnew had an RBI.
Madi Smith also had a hit and a run scored. Agnew, Brayden Baney, Macy Kirchenstien and Abby Bowers each had a single.
Corinna Stiles took the loss in the circle after allowing two earned runs in six innings. She allowed five hits and two walks and struck out six.
Warsaw scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth to flip a 2-1 deficit.
Warsaw 3, Valley 2
Valley 000 200 0 – 2
Warsaw 000 102 X – 3
WP – Tackett (7 IP, 9 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 11 K)
LP – Corinna Stiles (6 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K)
2B – Mercedes Snapp (TV), Sleeth (WAR)
3B – Molly Moriarty (TV)
Tippecanoe Valley 16, Southwood 7: Brittany Benn and Corinna Stiles had four hits each, and Brayden Baney singled twice and had an RBI for Valley in a Three Rivers Conference home win over Southwood May 19.
Benn and Stiles each had three singles and a triple. Abby Bowers also had a triple.
Benn had four RBIs, and Stiles drove in two runs. Stiles scored four runs, and Benn scored three times. Madi Smith, Macy Kirchenstien, Molly Moriarty and Kayleena Agnew each had a hit and an RBI. Mercedes Snapp also had an RBI.
Kirchenstien pitched the first five innings for the win. She allowed seven hits and seven runs (five earned) while walking two and fanning three. Stiles pitched two scoreless innings in relief. She allowed two hits and struck out three.
Valley finished TRC play 4-5.
Valley 16, Southwood 7
Southwood 210 040 0 – 7
Valley 350 242 X – 16
WP – Macy Kirchenstien (5 IP, 7 H, 7 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 3 K)
LP – Culver (4 IP, 11 H, 10 R, 8 ER, 3 BB, 0 K)
2B – Combs (SW), Madi Smith (TV), Kayleena Agnew (TV)
3B – Brittany Benn (TV), Corinna Stiles (TV), Abby Bowers (TV)
Tippecanoe Valley 6, Culver Academy 2: Corinna Stiles doubled, tripled and had two RBIs, and Brayden Baney also had a double and a triple for Valley in a home win over Culver Academy May 18.
Mercedes Snapp also had two hits and an RBI. Madi Smith, Sydney Rhamey and Abby Bowers had one hit each. Bowers’ hit was a triple.
Bowers also pitched a five-hitter for the win in the circle. She walked none and struck out seven.
Valley scored three runs in the bottom of the second to take a 4-2 lead.
Valley 6, Culver Academy 2
Culver Academy 110 000 0 – 2 5 3
Valley 130 110 X – 6 9 0
WP – Abby Bowers (7 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 7 K)
2B – Brayden Baney (TV), Corinna Stiles (TV)
3B – Brayden Baney (TV), Corinna Stiles (TV), Abby Bowers (TV)
Maconaquah 4, Tippecanoe Valley 1: Mercedes Snapp singled, tripled and drove in the lone Valley run in a home loss to Maconaquah May 17.
Molly Moriarty singled and scored a run. Brayden Baney and Abby Bowers each added a single.
Macy Kirchenstien took the loss in the circle after allowing eight hits and four earned runs in seven innings. She walked two, hit a batter and struck out five.
Phantasia DeBoard pitched a five-hitter for the Lady Braves. Valley’s only run was unearned off DeBoard and came in the first inning.
Maconaquah 4, Valley 1
Maconaquah 201 100 0 – 4
Valley 100 000 0 – 1
WP – DeBoard (7 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K)
LP – Macy Kirchenstien (7 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 5 K)
2B – Butler 2 (MAC), Mouser 2 (MAC)
3B – Carson (MAC), Snapp (TV)
Central Noble 7, Tippecanoe Valley 3
Jimtown 2, Tippecanoe Valley 0
Madi Smith had a pair of singles, and Brayden Baney had a triple for Valley in a loss to Central Noble in the first game of a three-way doubleheader May 15.
Mercedes Snapp had a single and an RBI. Macy Kirchenstien, Corinna Stiles and Kayleena Agnew each added a single. Kirchenstien, Stiles and Molly Moriarty each scored a run.
Stiles pitched four innings, and Kirchenstien pitched three. They combined to allow 10 hits and seven runs. They walked two and struck out five.
Valley committed seven errors, and all seven Central Noble runs were unearned.
In their second game, Valley lost to Jimtown. Abby Bowers’ single was Valley’s lone hit.
Freshman Emily Gletty pitched a one-hitter with four walks and nine strikeouts for Jimtown.
Bowers took the loss in the circle for Valley. She allowed three hits and two runs (one earned) in 5 ⅓ innings. She walked three and struck out one.
Stiles got the final two outs in the bottom of the sixth. She struck out two.
Jimtown 2, Valley 0
Valley 000 000 0 – 0 1 0
Jimtown 000 002 X – 2 3 0
WP – Gletty (7 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 9 K)
LP – Abby Bowers (5 ⅓ IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 1 K)
XBH – (none)
(NOTE: A complete box score from the Central Noble-Valley game was not made available to RTC.)
Marion 8, Tippecanoe Valley 7: Corinna Stiles had a double and three RBIs, Brayden Baney homered and had two RBIs, and Brittany Benn had a pair of hits for Valley in a loss to host Marion May 13.
Kayleena Agnew had a hit and an RBI, and Macy Kirchenstien also had an RBI for Valley.
Madi Smith, Mercdes Snapp, Kailey Rudd and Abby Bowers had one hit each. Smith’s hit was a double.
Bowers and Stiles combined for nio walks and seven strikeouts in the circle.
Tippecanoe Valley 5, Whitko 1: Madi Smith and Abby Bowers each had a pair of singles, and Brayden Baney and Molly Moriarty each had a double for Valley in a TRC road win over Whitko May 12.
Moriarty and Bowers each had an RBI.
Mercedes Snapp, Brittany Benn and Corinna Stiles each had a hit.
Macy Kirchenstien got the win after pitching a six-hitter. She walked one and struck out two. Whitko’s run was unearned.
Valley trailed 1-0 after three innings but tied the game in the fourth and went ahead for good in the fifth before scoring three insurance runs in the sixth.
Whitko avenged this loss with a 4-1 win over Valley in the sectional final at Wabash on May 27.
Valley 5, Whitko 1
Valley 000 113 0 – 5 9 4
Whitko 001 000 0 – 1 5 1
WP – Macy Kirchenstien (7 Ip, 6 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K)
LP – Augusta Garr (5 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 10 K)
2B – Brayden Baney (TV), Molly Moriarty (TV), Augusta Garr (WHI)
Peru 6, Tippecanoe Valley 4: Corinna Stiles singled, doubled and drove in a run, and Madi Smith also had two hits and an RBI for the visiting Lady Vikings in a loss to Peru May 5.
Brittany Benn also had two hits. Brayden Baney had a double. Molly Moriarty had a hit and an RBI. Abby Bowers had an RBI.
Macy Kirchenstien pitched the first 5 ⅔ innings in the circle and took the loss. She allowed 10 hits and six runs, all unearned. She walked one and struck out one. Stiles got the final out in the bottom of the sixth.
Valley led 1-0 going into the sixth, but Peru scored six unearned runs off Kirchenstien and Stiles. Valley committed three errors.
Peru 6, Valley 4
Valley 000 100 3 – 4
Peru 000 006 X – 6
LP – Macy Kirchenstien (5 ⅔ IP, 10 H, 6 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K)
2B – Corinna Stiles (TV), Brayden Baney (TV)
Baseball
Lebanon 19, Tippecanoe Valley 7 (5 innings)
Rochester 4, Tippecanoe Valley 0
Noah Prater and Owen Kirchenstien each had a single and a double, and Hunter Craft had two hits and an RBI for Valley in a loss to Lebanon at the Twin Lakes Invitational May 22.
D.J. Estep added a hit and two RBIs. Braxton Davis had a hit and an RBI.
Braxton Davis pitched the first two innings and allowed five hits and 10 runs (eight earned) for Valley. Prater allowed a hit and four runs (two earned) in one inning. Payton Mills allowed six hits and five runs (three earned) in two innings.
Valley pitchers combined to walk five.
Lebanon had seven doubles.
In their second game, Valley lost to Rochester 4-0. Mills, Prater, Kirchenstien, Damion Kohler and Davis each had a single, but Rochester’s Brock Beehler pitched a five-hit shutout.
Marcus Bernicky took the loss on the mound, allowing three hits and one run in three innings. He walked one and struck out three. Kohler allowed six hits and three runs in three innings of relief. He walked one and fanned none.
Rochester also beat Valley 3-2 in their TRC meeting on May 3.
Lebanon 19, Valley 7 (5 innings)
Lebanon 527 14 – 19 12 4
Valley 200 41 – 7 8 5
WP – Sloggett (3 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 1 K)
LP – Braxton Davis (2 IP, 5 H 10 R, 8 ER, 3 BB, 1 K)
2B – Harker 3 (LEB), Coddington 2 (LEB), Bowen (LEB), Linton (LEB), Noah Prater (TV), Owen Kirchenstien (TV)
Rochester 4, Valley 0
Valley 000 000 0 – 0 5 3
Rochester 001 300 X – 4 9 1
WP – Brock Beehler (7 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K)
LP – Marcus Bernicky (3 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K)
XBH – (none)
Tippecanoe Valley 6, Southwood 3: Annikan Pettit went 3 for 3 with an RBI, and Hunter Craft singled, doubled, stole two bases and scored a run for the host Vikings as they knocked off Class 1A, No. 1 Southwood May 19.
D.J. Estep doubled, and Marcus Bernicky, Noah Prater, Damion Kohler each contributed a single.
Payton Mills, Prater, Braxton Davis and Owen Kirchenstien each had an RBI.
Kirchentien allowed one run over five innings for the win. He allowed three hits and two walks while fanning eight.
Estep pitched the final two innings. He allowed three hits and two earned runs while walking two and striking out three.
Southwood committed two errors that led to four unearned runs.
Valley scored five runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a 5-1 lead.
Southwood was coming off a 28-3 win in five innings over Whitko and had scored at least nine runs in seven straight games.
“What a night!” Valley coach Jarred Littlejohn exclaimed. “Thank you to everybody who came out to support us tonight. It was a great night for baseball. Everybody played great.”
Valley 6, Southwood 3
Southwood 000 012 0 – 3 6 2
Valley 000 051 X – 6 9 0
WP – Owen Kirchenstien (5 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 8 K)
LP – Hayslett (5 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 6 K)
2B – Thomas (SW), Farr (SW), D.J. Estep (TV), Hunter Craft (TV)
Tippecanoe Valley 14, Maconaquah 5: D.J. Estep had a homer among his three hits, and he also had three RBIs for the host Vikings in a TRC win over Maconaquah May 18.
Hunter Craft added two hits and two RBIs. Payton Mills had a hit and two RBIs, and Noah Prater, Damion Kohler and Cameron Manuel each had a hit and an RBI. Marcus Bernicky and Owen Kirchenstien each had a hit and an RBI.
Cameron Manuel allowed five runs (two earned) in five innings and earned the win. He walked three and struck out four. Kirchenstien and Estep each pitched a scoreless inning.
Valley scored seven runs in the third inning to build an 11-2 lead.
This was Valley’s first game since Brendyn Stump’s fatal car accident three days earlier.
“I am so proud of this team,” Valley coach Jarred Littlejohn said in a statement. “Tonight’s game was extremely difficult, but it was nice to finally see the kids smiling again. Tonight we played for Brendyn and the Stump family. The rest of the year we will play for B! Everybody played exactly the way he played, smiling and enjoying the game of baseball.”
Valley 14, Maconaquah 5
Maconaquah 020 030 0 – 5 7 4
Valley 317 120 X – 14 13 4
WP – Cameron Manuel (5 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 4 K)
LP – Kile (2 IP, 5 H, 6 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 0 K)
HR – Stoll (MAC), D.J. Estep (TV)
Tippecanoe Valley 9, Westview 7
Culver Academy 12, Tippecanoe Valley 2 (6 innings)
Annikan Pettit had a single, a homer and three RBIs, and Brendyn Stump went 3 for 3 with two RBIs for Valley in a win over Westview in a tournament at Culver Academy May 15.
Marcus Bernicky added two doubles and two RBIs, and D.J. Estep had two doubles and an RBI. Hunter Craft and Owen Kirchenstien added two singles each. Damion Kohler contributed an RBI.
Stump allowed five runs (four earned) in five innings for the win. He allowed four hits and five walked five while striking out six.
Payton Mills allowed five hits and two earned runs in two innings of relief.
Valley started their day with a loss to Culver Academy. Estep and Bernicky each singled and doubled, and Pettit and Craft each had a single. Estep also had an RBI.
Braxton Davis took the loss on the mound after allowing seven runs (two earned) in 2 ⅓ innings. He allowed six hits and walked two while striking out three. Kohler allowed five runs (four earned) in 3 ⅓ innings. He allowed five hits and walked three.
Culver Academy scored in all six innings in which they batted.
Valley 9, Westview 7
Westview 100 130 2 – 7 9 2
Valley 031 113 X – 9 13 2
WP – Brendyn Stump (5 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 5 BB, 6 K)
LP – Kauffman (3 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 1 K)
2B – N. Mortrud (WV), M. Mortrud (WV), Wire (WV), Miller (WV), Kauffman (WV), D.J. Estep 2 (TV), Marcus Bernicky 2 (TV)
HR – Annikan Pettit (TV)
Culver Academy 12, Valley 2 (6 innings)
Valley 101 000 – 2
Culver Academy 151 113 – 12
WP – Stuart (4 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K)
LP– Braxton Davis (2 ⅓ IP, 6 H, 7 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K)
2B – Marcus Bernicky (TV), D.J. Estep (TV), Schmiedlin (CMA), Grundberg (CMA), Posner (CMA), Kudrna (CMA)
Northfield 3, Tippecanoe Valley 0: Hunter Craft and Damion Kohler each had singles, but Valley lost a TRC home game to Northfield May 13.
D.J. Estep pitched a seven-hitter but took the loss. He allowed two earned runs while walking two and striking out three.
“Played really well defensively as D.J. Estep pitched another good game,” Valley coach Jarred Littlejohn said in a statement. “We’re going to have to figure out how to get the bats rolling and help our great pitching.”
Northfield 3, Valley 0
Northfield 020 000 1 – 3 7 0
Valley 000 000 0 – 0 2 1
WP – France (5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 4 K)
LP – D.J. Estep (7 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K)
XBH – (none)
Tippecanoe Valley 7, Whitko 1: Marcus Bernicky had a hit and two RBIs at the plate and also pitched a four-hitter on the mound for Valley in a TRC road win over Whitko on May 12.
D.J. Estep and Annikan Pettit had two hits each, and Noah Prater also had a hit and two RBIs each for Valley.
Hunter Craft had a hit and an RBI, and Owen Kirchenstien also had an RBI. Damion Kohler had a hit.
The only run Bernicky allowed was unearned in the sixth inning. He walked two and fanned four.
Valley scored three runs in the top of the fourth to break a scoreless tie.
Valley 7, Whitko 1
Valley 000 313 0 – 7 7 2
Whitko 000 001 0 – 1 3 5
WP – Marcus Bernicky (7 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K)
LP – Harper (5 ⅓ IP, 4 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 8 K)
2B – Noah Prater (TV)
Tippecanoe Valley 1, North Miami 0: Owen Kirchenstien pitched a one-hitter, and Noah Prater scored the game’s only run on a wild pitch in the top of the seventh to lift Valley past North Miami May 10.
Valley won despite amassing only two hits – one by D.J. Estep and one by Annikan Pettit.
Kirchenstien walked one and struck out 10.
Kolton Floor had North Miami’s lone hit. He also took the loss on the mound despite striking out nine and allowing no earned runs.
Valley 1, North Miami 0
Valley 000 000 1 – 1
North Miami 000 000 0 – 0
WP – Owen Kirchenstien (7 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 10 K)
LP – Floor (7 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 9 K)
XBH – (none)
Tippecanoe Valley 2, Peru 0: D.J. Estep pitched a two-hit shutout and also had a pair of hits and drove in both Valley runs in a road win over Class 3A, No. 6 Peru May 5.
Hunter Craft, Owen Kirchenstien and Payton Mills each had a hit.
“Damion Kohler had two double plays up the middle,” Valley coach Jarred Littlejohn said in a statement. “Overall, everybody played a great game, and it was a big, exciting win.”
Estep walked one and struck out seven in outdueling Peru’s Leif Astrup.
Valley 2, Peru 0
Valley 101 000 0 – 2 5 1
Peru 000 000 0 – 0 2 1
WP – D.J. Estep (7 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K)
LP – Astrup (7 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 8 K)
2B – Hunter Craft (TV)
Tippecanoe Valley 21, Argos 0 (5 innings): D.J. Estep had a pair of doubles and four RBIs, and Owen Kirchenstien had three hits and an RBI for Valley in a road win over Argos May 4.
Annikan Pettit and Braxton Davis had two hits and two RBIs each. Hunter Craft singled, tripled and drove in a run, Jeremy Landis had two hits and an RBI, and Evan Myers also had two hits.
Noah Prater had a hit and an RBI, and Payton Mills, Damion Kohler and Cameron Manuel each had hits.
Valley also had 17 stolen bases.
Davis and Manuel combined on a four-hit shutout. Davis walked two and struck out four in three innings, and Manuel walked none and fanned two in two innings.
Valley scored seven runs in the top of the first inning.
Valley 21, Argos 0
Valley 756 21 – 21 19 0
Argos 000 00 – 0 4 2
WP – Braxton Davis (3 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K)
2B – Owen Kirchenstien (TV), Damion Kohler (TV), D.J. Estep 2 (TV), Annikan Pettit (TV)
3B – Hunter Craft (TV)
Wabash 6, Tippecanoe Valley 1: Braxton Davis doubled and drove in a run, but Valley dropped a TRC home game to Wabash on April 30.
Payton Mills, Marcus Bernicky, Hunter Craft and Annikan Pettit each added a hit. Brendyn Stump scored the lone Valley run.
Bernicky took the loss on the mound. He allowed two hits and one unearned run in three innings. He walked one and struck out two.
D.J. Estep and Davis pitched two innings each in relief. Estep allowed four hits and no earned runs while walking none and striking out one. Davis allowed one hit and two runs while walking four and striking out none.
Valley committed five errors which led to five unearned runs for Wabash.
Wabash 6, Valley 1
Wabash 400 020 0 – 6
Valley 000 000 1 – 1
WP – Leland (7 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 9 K)
LP – Marcus Bernicky (3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K)
2B – Beeks (WAB), Fields (WAB), Braxton Davis (TV)
