Saturday's prep highlights: Wins all around for Unity, SJ-O baseball, softball

In baseball

Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin 5, Hoopeston Area 3. The Blue Devils (21-6) got three hits from Jordan Johnson and another two from Chaz Dubois to pace their offense. Caden Keleminic pitched 52/3 innings with eight strikeouts and only one earned run while driving in two runs at the plate. The Cornjerkers (14-8) got two hits apiece from Nick Cardenas, Wyatt Eisenmann and Ryker Small, who also pitched a scoreless final 1 1/3 innings, but it was ultimately a couple runs too short.

LeRoy 3, Watseka 2. The Panthers (9-14) got the best of the Warriors (7-14) in this low-scoring battle, as Jack Bogema pitched seven innings of two-run ball, outdueling Mason Galyen‘s 42/3 innings with eight strikeouts. Nate McKnight had two hits for LeRoy, and Tate Harden added two RBI. Brayden Ketchum

• was the only Watseka batter with multiple hits.

Mahomet-Seymour 9-8, Mattoon 2-1. Mahomet-Seymour won an outright Apollo Conference title with a sweep of the Green Wave in Mattoon. Gavin Bailey went 3 for 4 with three RBI and a triple in the first game, with Mason Orton striking out five and only allowing four hits in six innings on the mound. Finn Randolph added two RBI and a double. In the second game, Randolph picked up the win on the mound for the Bulldogs (19-6) with four quality innings, Nolan Johnson went 3 for 3 with an RBI and Ray Long

• was 3 for 5 with a double and two RBI.

Milford 8, Schlarman 1. Cohen Cheever

• ‘s seven strikeouts in six innings on the mound held the Hilltoppers (5-11) in check. Meanwhile, the Bearcats (10-9) took advantage of six Schlarman errors to score most of their runs, led by Cheever’s two RBI.

Morton 16, Champaign Central 6. Charlie Hobbs, T.J. Pipkins and Chris Timmons

• each had two hits for the Maroons (15-13) and combined for four RBI, but they needed a little more help to take down Morton.

North Vermillion (Ind.) 18-18, Georgetown-Ridge Farm/Chrisman 8-7. The Buffaloes (2-17) had a tough time stopping North Vermillion’s bats in their doubleheader. Jase Latoz, Ryley Heck and Landon Heck all had three hits in the first game. Latoz and Deven Vice

• had two hits in the second game.

Rantoul 2, Herscher 1. The Eagles (9-15) pulled out all the stops in extra innings, as Carson Lykins laid down a walk-off suicide squeeze in the bottom of the eighth to get the win. Eli Reichenbach pitched all eight innings, allowing zero earned runs and striking out six batters. Ross Gawenda

• led the offense with two hits.

St. Joseph-Ogden 9, Tri-Valley 2. The duo of Braxton Waller and Will Haley powered the Spartans (27-2) to a morning win, each blasting a home run and combining for five hits and four RBI. Asher Pruemer

• was just as effective on the mound, striking out seven batters and allowing zero earned runs in six innings of work.

St. Joseph-Ogden 15, Reed-Custer 5. Luke Landrus led the Spartans (28-2) with three hits, five RBI and three runs scored. Nolan Earley and Kodey McKinney also tallied three hits, followed by Bryson Houchens, who homered, and Tanner Jacob with two hits apiece. Trevor Ames

• had a solid day on the mound, only allowing one earned run and striking out five batters in five innings.

Salt Fork 8, Clifton Central 4. The Storm (9-13) won its first game of the day behind three hits and two doubles from Evan Hageman and two hits apiece from Deegan Albert and Pedro Rangel

• . Albert also got the win on the mound.

Unity 13, Salt Fork 1. The Rockets (18-7) put up seven runs in the first inning to set the tone. Brock Suding blasted a home run and tallied three RBI, Brayden Henry had two hits with a triple and three RBI and Brady Parr added a double and two RBI. Tyler Henry pitched five innings of one-run ball with eight strikeouts. Jameson Remole

• led the Storm (9-14) with two doubles.

Unity 17, Clifton Central 0. Game two for the Rockets (19-7) went even better than the first. Dane Eisenmenger pitched four shutout innings with five strikeouts and only two hits allowed. He also had two hits and two RBI at the plate. Eisenmenger got plenty of support from his teammates, too, with Brayden Henry, Tre Hoggard, Brady Parr and Emmerson Bailey

• all homering and collectively driving in 11 runs.

In softball

Hoopeston Area 11, Urbana 1. Maddie Barnes did a little bit of everything for the Cornjerkers (13-10), taking the win in the circle and notching a double and triple at the plate to beat the Tigers (3-13). Macy Warner and Addyson Kelnhofer each tallied three hits, with two of Warner’s being home runs to add four RBI. Kennedy Wallace

• added two hits and three RBI.

LeRoy 12, Prairie Central 9. Five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning proved enough for the Panthers (24-5). Laila Carr led the winning effort with three hits, two doubles and two RBI, and Emily Bogema tallied two hits and four RBI. Jules Woodrey and Rylee Galloway

• led the Hawks (13-14) with two hits and two RBI apiece, with Goodrey connecting for a home run.

LeRoy 7, Morton 3. Laila Carr had another three-hit performance to go along with three RBI to lead the Panthers (25-5) to their second win of the day. Emily Mennenga and Lauren Bossingham both added two hits. Lilly Long

• pitched a solid six innings with five strikeouts and just one earned run and two hits allowed.

Morton 6, Prairie Central 2. The Hawks (13-15) took another competitive loss in their second game of the day. Kate Slagel

• notched two hits to pace the offense.

St. Joseph-Ogden 12, Meridian 2. The Spartans (23-6) made the most of Timera Blackburn-Kelly‘s complete-game three-hitter with 11 strikeouts, backing her up with a balanced offensive attack. Chloe Harper and Hayden Dahl each had a pair of hits, and Halle Brazelton

• drove in three runs.

St. Joseph-Ogden 8, Marshall 5. Win No. 2 of the day for the Spartans (24-6) came in similar fashion. Grace Osterbur, Addy Martinie and Hayden Dahl connected on two hits apiece and combined to drive in all eight runs. Madison Stevens and Amelia Huckstadt

• scattered 11 hits in the circle to limit Marshall’s offense.

Unity 10, St. Teresa 0. Ava Fenter flirted with a no-hitter in the first game of the day for the Rockets, only allowing one hit in her five innings with four strikeouts. Sophia Beckett and Maegan Rothe each had two hits, and Kenley Harris

• had two RBI.

Unity 5, Newton 0. The second game of the day for the Rockets (17-7-1) saw another shutout, this one seven innings from Lindy Bates, who struck out four batters and had two hits at the plate. Sophia Beckett paced the bats with three hits, and Ruby Tarr

• doubled with two RBI. Unity’s two wins on the day gave the 2024 senior class 100 career wins.

In girls’ soccer

Centennial 2, Mattoon 1. The Chargers (10-8) squeaked out a close win thanks to goals from Alicia Fernandez and Payton Kaiser, assists from Alaina Kimble and Yamelia Salinas and 14 saves from Kate Pitcher

• .

Champaign Central 1, Glenbard North 0. Maya McCaffrey netted a goal in the 49th minute, and that’s all the Maroons (10-5-2) needed to earn the win behind Evie O’Brien

• ‘s five saves.

Urbana 5, Charleston 1. Samantha Christman scored four goals, Chloe Sikora added the other goal and handed out two assists and the Tigers (9-9) rolled to a nonconference win. Lilly Schroeder and Allison Valentine also chipped in with assists.

Zach Piatt