After cruising past Oak Harbor — a defending Division II district champ — 13-0 in Sunday’s season opener (head coach Mark Thomas’ 200th career win), the Delaware Hayes softball team split a pair of showdowns against another couple quality opponents Monday in Winter Haven, Florida.
The Pacers knocked off Perrysburg, a D-I district champion from a year ago, 15-4 in five innings before falling to Eastwood, a D-III district finalist, 11-3 later in the day.
Hayes all but wrapped up the win over Perrysburg in the first inning, plating 14 runs. The Pacers added another in the fourth to smooth out the scoring summary.
Laiha Slayton had two home runs, one a grand slam, in the win. She finished 3-for-3 with seven RBI and a couple runs scored. Chloe Barton and Bobbi Adams also had three hits. Alex Armstrong, meanwhile, had a game-best four knocks to go with two RBI and two runs scored.
Haley Osborne notched the win in the circle, allowing four runs on seven hits while striking out 10 and walking three.
Hayes came back from a 3-0 deficit to tie things up in the fourth later in the day against Eastwood, but couldn’t keep the momentum in its dugout.
Adams, Armstrong and Kami Slayton each had a hit and an RBI.
Olentangy Liberty 2, Libertyville (IL) 1
Lexi Byrd singled home the go-ahead run in the fourth and Kaitlyn Leary took care of the rest to lead the Patriots to a non-league win Monday in Orlando, Florida.
Leary allowed just one unearned run on four hits. She struck out seven.
Liberty’s Jordan Scheiderer and Dani Schoenly had a hit and a run each in the win.
The Patriots also beat Mogadore Field earlier in the day, opening their season with a 4-0 win.
Katelyn Wilhelm struck out 14 and allowed just one hit.
South Park (PA) 9, Olentangy 3
The Braves couldn’t climb out of an early hole en route to a non-league loss Monday in Vero Beach, Florida.
South Park set the tone with a four-run first inning.
Lexi Bretzinger had two hits and an RBI to lead Olentangy in the setback.
BASEBALL
Ben Billings allowed just one unearned run over six innings, striking out eight while giving up just three hits, to lead the Olentangy Liberty baseball team to a 5-1 win over Toledo St. John’s Jesuit Monday in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
He helped himself at the plate, too, collecting two hits and an RBI. Brian Yamokoski was also solid, finishing with three hits in the win.
The victory was the Patriots’ second of the day. They also beat Wheaton North (IL) 10-6 in eight innings. North battled back from a four-run deficit to send it to extras, but Liberty plated four in the eighth to seal the deal.
Andrew Rodriguez led off the eighth with a walk before scoring the go-ahead run.
BOYS TENNIS
Delaware Hayes picked up a solid win to start the season, knocking off Mount Vernon 4-1 Monday afternoon.
Pacer winners included Kyle Klumpp (6-3, 6-0 at first singles), Sam Bonofiglio (6-0, 6-0 at second singles), Eric Puthoff (6-0, 6-0 at third singles) and the duo of Harrison Garling and Jacob Byerly (6-0, 6-0 at second doubles).
BOYS LACROSSE
Watterson 8, Delaware Hayes 4
