PLEASANT HILL — Botkins took advantage of six errors and beat No. 3 seed Newton 7-5 in a Division IV sectional final on Wednesday.
The No. 5 seed Trojans (14-13) had a 4-3 lead before pulling away in the sixth. Carson Motter reached first base with two outs after a fielding error by left fielder Harold Oburn, then Ethan Motter hit a line-drive single. Isaac Cisco drew a walk to load the bases.
Carson Motter scored when Newton pitcher Colin Tackett sent a throw to first base into left field while Brandt Boerger was at the plate. Boerger then hit a fly to left field and reached on an error by Oburn, and Ethan Motter and Cisco scored on the same play to put the Trojans ahead 7-3.
Newton scored one in the sixth, then added one in the seventh. The Indians had two runners on before hitting into a pop out and fly out to end the game.
Parker Geis picked up the win on the mound. He pitched 6 1/3 innings and gave up four earned runs on 10 hits and three walks. Ethan Motter came on with one out in the seventh and earned a save. He didn’t allow a hit.
Brant Metz was 2 for 4 for the Trojans while Geis was 1 for 3 with two walks.
Ross Ferrell was charged with the loss for Newton, which finishes 19-5 and was ranked No. 6 in D-IV in the most recent state coaches association poll. Ferrell gave up two earned runs on six hits and three walks in five innings.
Five of the seven runs Botkins scored were unearned.
Botkins advances to face Russia in a district semifinal on Monday at Versailles High School. The Trojans lost to the Raiders 4-3 and 11-1 in Shelby County Athletic League games in regular season.
Russia 3, Riverside 2
Russia pulled out a victory in a pitcher’s duel in a Div. IV sectional final on Wednesday in Russia.
Riverside scored in the top of the fourth to take a 1-0 lead, but the Raiders tied it in the bottom half, then took a 3-1 lead in the fifth after a hit batter and fielding error allowed one run to score and two sacrifice bunts allowed another to score.
The Pirates scored one run in the seventh thanks to three walks but struck out three times to end the game.
Grant Saunders picked up the win for Russia (20-5). He pitched 6 1/3 inning and gave up one earned run on two hits and three walks while striking out 12 batters. Aiden Shappie pitched 2/3 of the seventh and gave up two walks while striking out two batters.
Zander Crouch was charged with the loss for Riverside, which won the Northwest Central Conference title in regular season and finishes 15-10. Crouch pitched 5 2/3 innings and gave up two earned runs on four hits.
Hayden Quinter was 2 for 3 for Russia with 1 RBI. Landon Stewart was 2 for 4 for the Pirates.
The No. 2 seed Raiders advance to face SCAL rival Botkins in a district semifinal on Monday at Versailles High School. Russia beat the Trojans 4-3 and 11-1 in Shelby County Athletic League games in regular season.
Fort Loramie 12, Fairlawn 0
The Redskins scored 11 runs in the first two innings to take control early in a Div. IV sectional final on Wednesday in Fort Loramie.
Evan Eilerman was 2 for 2 with 3 RBIs and one double for Fort Loramie (22-3) while Grant Albers, Devin Raterman and Derek Meyer were each 2 for 3. Darren Hoying was 1 for 2 with one double.
Caeleb Meyer picked up the win on the mound. He pitched five innings and gave up two hits and two walks while striking out six batters.
Keith Orndorff was charged with the loss for the Jets, which finish 8-13 overall. He pitched three innings and gave up eight earned runs on nine hits and three walks.
Ashton Piper and Gauge Sharrock were each 1 for 2 for Fairlawn.
The No. 1 seed Redskins advance to face No. 4 Bradford in a district semifinal on Monday at Newton High School.
Bradford 12, Houston 7
The Wildcats lost in a Div. IV sectional final on Wednesday in Bradford.
Elijah Beaver was charged with the loss for Houston. He pitched one inning and gave up three earned runs on four hits. Noah Baltes pitched four innings and gave up six earned runs on eight hits and three walks.
Luke Beaver was 3 for 4 with one double for the Wildcats while Jacob Leist was 2 for 4 and Elijah Beaver was 2 for 4 with 2 RBIs. Zavier Ludwig hit one triple and had 2 RBIs.
Houston finishes 10-16 overall.
Minster 8, Riverdale 2
The Wildcats scored four runs in the third to take a 5-0 lead and cruised from there to a victory in a Div. III sectional opener on Wednesday in Mount Blanchard.
Johnny Nixon picked up the win on the mound for Minster (14-10). He pitched three innings and gave up one hit while striking out four batters.
Nixon was 2 for 4 at the plate with one double. Brady Heitkamp and Nathan Oldiges were each 1 for 2 with 1 RBI and one walk and Kody Richard was 1 for 2 with 1 RBI. Nathan Bergman and Leland Frick were each 1 for 1. Zach Fortman was 1 for 2 with 2 RBIs and one double. Justin Nixon hit one double.
The No. 6 seed Wildcats advance to face No. 4 Lima Bath in a sectional final on Friday in Lima.
• Softball
Russia 7, Anna 4
The Raiders earned a share of the Shelby County Athletic League title by beating the Rockets on Wednesday in Anna.
Each squad scored two runs in the second, but Russia scored three in the third to take control and pulled away from there.
The Raiders improved to 23-2 with the victory and 11-1 overall in SCAL play. They tie for first with Fort Loramie (20-7, 11-1).
Makena Hoying and Saige Hoying were each 2 for 4 for Russia while Riley Hammonds was 2 for 4 with one double. Kendall Monnin was 1 for 3 with one home run and 2 RBIs.
Sophie Francis picked up the win in the circle. She pitched four innings and gave up two earned runs on four hits.
Bree Metzler was charged with the loss for the Rockets. She pitched seven innings and gave up three earned runs on eight hits and two walks.
Nylah Crosson was 2 for 3 for Anna. Taylor Dye was 1 for 3 with one home run and 2 RBIs and Brenna Cobb was 1 for 3 with one double.
Anna finishes 13-10 overall and 7-5 overall in SCAL play. The Rockets, which lost in tournament play last week, tied for third in league play with Houston (8-21, 7-5).
