Amaia Daniel got the Delaware Hayes softball team off to a fast start, connecting on a three-run homer in the first inning of Thursday’s showdown against Fairdale (KY) in Florida.
The Pacers parlayed the early advantage into a 5-3 win to improve to 6-0 so far this spring.
Daniel finished 2-for-3 with the three RBI and another two runs scored. Lexi Mattix, Bobbi Adams and Liaiha Slayton also had two hits in the win.
Fairview scored a run in the third to make it a one-run game, but that’s as close as it would get.
Haley Osborne collected the win in the circle, allowing three runs on five hits while striking out eight.
Olentangy 13, Hilliard Davidson 1, 6 inn.
The Braves pounded out 18 hits, four coming off the bat of Payton Cox, to roll to a lopsided win over host Davidson Thursday in Hilliard.
Peyton Cox finished 4-for-5 with a team-leading four RBI, Sophie Low and Kirsten Kracht added three hits each and Morgan Cox and Emily Gernert chipped in two apiece.
Low handled the rest from the circle, allowing an unearned run on four hits while striking out six and walking four in her six innings of work.
Big Walnut 14, Whitehall-Yearling 7
Hailey Krinn blasted a two-run homer as part of a five-run fifth to help the Golden Eagles pull away for a non-league win over the visiting Rams Thursday in Sunbury.
Big Walnut trailed by a run heading into the frame. They were up by four after it, and added three more in the sixth to smooth out the scoring summary.
Krinn finished 4-for-4 with three RBI and four runs scored from the leadoff spot. Jojo Lucas was also solid, finishing 3-for-5 with three runs scored and two more knocked in, while Molly Sharpe added three RBI and a couple hits.
Shady Spring (WV) 12, Buckeye Valley 5, 6 inn.
Cora Hollingsworth and Olivia Schick had a pair of hits apiece, accounting for half the BV knocks, but Shady Spring scored in five of its six trips to the plate to roll to a six-inning win Thursday in Tennessee.
Lincoln County (KY) 14, Buckeye Valley 4, 5 inn.
Lincoln County plated five runs in the first inning, four in the second and three in the third on the way to a lopsided win over BV Thursday in Tennessee.
Hollingsworth, who hit a homer, Rylee George, Schick, Allie Etgen and Kylie Young had hits for the Barons.
Fairfield Christian 15, Delaware Christian 5, 5 inn.
Emily Parrish, Anna Fuller, Haileigh Darnell and Grace Williams knocked in runs, but it wasn’t enough to keep pace with host Fairfield Christian Thursday in Lancaster.
The hosts set the tone with a four-run first before adding two in the second and five in the third to break things open.
Also: Jonathan Alder 7, Olentangy Liberty 2; Dublin Jerome 8, Olentangy Orange 2.
BASEBALL
Zach Price chased home Jason Cross with a fielder’s choice to cut the deficit to one, but the rally fell just short as Hilliard Darby outlasted host Hayes 4-3 Thursday in Delaware.
The Pacers (2-2) took an early lead with a first-inning run, but the Panthers answered with a two-run second. They added another in the third and chased home what proved to be a pivotal insurance run in the seventh.
Alex Kelly led Hayes at the plate, finishing 2-for-2 with a double, two walks, a run scored and an RBI.
Cross took the tough-luck loss on the mound, allowing eight hits while striking out four in seven steady innings of action.
Olentangy 11, Westerville South 3
Logan Ketron and Lucas Hassinger drove in a combined five runs runs while Nick Foy tossed four scoreless innings to lead Olentangy to a win in its OCC opener Thursday in Lewis Center.
The Braves scored three second-inning runs before erupting for seven in the third to break things open.
Foy, meanwhile, allowed four hits while striking out two and walking one in his four innings of work.
Canal Winchester 1, Big Walnut 0
Golden Eagle starter Colton Lee allowed just an unearned run in seven solid innings of work, but the Indians were able to make that run stand up Thursday in Sunbury.
Lee limited Canal to five hits while striking out one and walking another.
BOYS TENNIS
Eric Puthoff picked up a three-set win at third singles, but wins were hard to come by beyond that as the Pacers fell to Thomas Worthington Thursday afternoon.
Puthoff won 7-6, 1-6, 6-3 to account for the Pacers’ lone victory. Sam Bonofiglio came close at second singles, winning the middle set 6-4, but dropped the first and third by respective scores of 4-6 and 2-6.
Also: Olentangy Orange 4, Olentangy Liberty 1; Big Walnut 3, Canal Winchester 2.
BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Llwyatt Hofer connected on a team-best 14 kills while Rithvik Potluri added 11 of his own to lead Liberty to a 25-7, 25-14, 25-12 win over visiting Westerville South Thursday in Powell.
Sean McCabe ran the offense well, finishing with 37 assists, while Potluri had 25 digs and Hofer added three blocks.
Olentangy 3, Westerville North 0
The Braves rolled to a win over the Warriors Thursday, taking the first set 25-14 before winning the next two by respective scores of 25-16 and 25-17.
Aaric Gossett finished with six kills and four aces, Mitchell Postak added six kills of his own, Jack Spohn had five blocks, Bentley Azbell added eight digs and Trent Trees had 15 assists in the win.
BOYS LACROSSE
Luke Schmeling had a hat trick and Mason Handa found the back of the net twice to lead Olentangy Orange to an 8-7 win over Westerville Central Thursday night.
Also: Olentangy 18, Westerville South 1; Delaware Hayes 12, Thomas Worthington 7.
GIRLS LACROSSE
Kailee O’Brien scored four goals and assisted on three others to lead Olentangy Orange to a decisive 19-5 win over visiting Westerville Central Thursday in Lewis Center.
Maddie Girard, Bella Lindell and Melanie Neuman all had hat tricks in the win.
Also: Thomas Worthington 14, Delaware Hayes 2; Olentangy 21, Westerville South 1.
