Lindsey Leeds broke a scoreless tie with a two out RBI single in the third inning to give the Olentangy Liberty softball team a lead it parlayed into a 3-2 OCC win over visiting Olentangy Thursday in Powell.
Arica Flaugher scored on a wild pitch one pitch later. Leeds, meanwhile, came up clutch again in the fifth, connecting on another RBI single with two down to make it a 3-0 game.
The Braves made things interesting in the seventh, but couldn’t complete the comeback. Payton Cox started the rally with a two-out walk, Emily Bullock singled after that and Brynn Kibler roped a line drive to center to score both runners. She advanced to second on the throw, but that’s as close as Olentangy would get as Katelyn Wilhelm coaxed a pop up to end the game.
Wilhelm was next to untouchable before giving up the late runs. She struck out 17 and allowed just the two runs on four hits in the complete-game win. She walked seven, including Cox four times.
Leeds finished 2-for-3 with the two RBI to lead Liberty at the plate. Ashley Chevalier, Kaitlyn Leary and Jordan Scheiderer also had hits.
Kibler was 2-for-4 with two RBI for the Braves.
Delaware Christian 14, Tree of Life 4, 5 inn.
The Trojans scored the game’s first four runs in the top of the first, but the Eagles plated the next 14 on the way to a convincing MOCAL win Thursday in Delaware.
DCS scored five runs in the second inning to take the lead for good.
Katie Neuhart had a monster day at the plate, finishing 4-for-4 with two home runs, five RBI and three runs scored. Zoe Twigg and Emma Rindfuss were also steady. Rindfuss was 2-for-4 with a homer, thee RBI and two runs while Twigg finished 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs.
Delaware Hayes 15, Dublin Scioto 2, 6 inn.
The Pacers scored the game’s first six runs on the way to a blowout OCC win over the host Irish Thursday in Dublin.
Lexi Mattix sparked the Hayes offense with a perfect 5-for-5 performance. She also scored five runs and drove in another.
Other Pacer standouts included Kami Slayton, who was 4-for-5 with seven RBI and a couple runs scored; Haley Osborne, who had three hits and two RBI; and Bobbi Adams, who homered in the win.
Osborne nabbed the win in the circle, allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits while striking out 11 and walking one.
Hilliard Bradley 16, Olentangy Berlin 2, 5 inn.
The Jaguars scored 10 times in the first inning on the way to a lopsided league win over the visiting Bears Thursday in Hilliard.
Berlin, which scored single tallies in the first and fourth innings, was led by Blythe Beaumont and Maia Crumb. The duo combined for five of the team’s nine hits — Beaumont was a perfect 3-for-3 while Crumb finished 2-for-3.
Groveport 4, Big Walnut 2
The Golden Eagles’ Autumn Imhoff limited a dangerous Groveport lineup to just six hits, but two of them left the yard as the Cruisers notched a key league win Thursday in Groveport.
Kendyll Cahill had the home runs while Hailey Krinn led Big Walnut with a pair of hits and a run scored.
Olentangy Orange 2, Westerville North 0
Alli Rubal and Brenna Oliver combined for a shutout in the circle as the Pioneers blanked the visiting Warriors Thursday in Lewis Center.
Morgan Woycitzky’s two-run single in the fifth accounted for the game’s only runs.
BASEBALL
Justin Nelson had two hits, but the rest of the Patriots were limited to just two of their own as visiting Hilliard Darby picked up a 7-2 non-league win Thursday in Powell.
Mitchell Okuley had one of the hits, a triple, while Corbin Parrish collected the other.
BOYS LACROSSE
Dublin Jerome scored back-to-back goals to take an 8-7 lead into the final two minutes of the fourth quarter, but Alex Theuerkauf scored the equalizer with 23 seconds left in regulation and Tyson Chapman scored off a feed from Andrew Barrett early in the extra session to give Olentangy Liberty a 9-8 win Thursday night.
GIRLS LACROSSE
Andi Henry scored four goals to lead a balanced offensive attack as Olentangy Berlin outlasted visiting Westerville Central 15-11 Thursday in Delaware.
Izzy Conrad, Libby Cuckler and Jenna Brennan had three goals apiece while Bri Hibbits anchored the defense with 14 saves.
Big Walnut 6, Bexley 5, OT
Cassady Becker found the back of the net in overtime to lift the Golden Eagles to a 6-5 win over the visiting Lions Thursday in Sunbury.
Also: Olentangy 17, Worthington Kilbourne 16
BOYS TENNIS
Big Walnut 5, Franklin Heights 0; Worthington Kilbourne 5, Olentangy Berlin 0; Dublin Jerome 5, Delaware Hayes 0; Buckeye Valley 3, River Valley 2; Olentangy 3, Olentangy Orange 2
BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Olentangy def. Olentangy Liberty 25-18, 25-18, 12-25, 25-23