No. 8 Westminster picked up a big conference win, defeating Lutheran South 3-0.  Ben Lovell had a very effective and efficient day on the mound, going six innings striking out nine and allowing only two hits.

“The past few games I had been taken out because of my inefficiency, my goal is to go deeper into games, and my defense helped today by getting outs,” said Lovell on his performance. “ I got ahead of hitters today, first pitch strikes are very important, it gives me more to work with.

Westminster got the scoring started when C Brett Bond singled to lead of the second inning. Pinch runner Jacob Buffa would move to third following a Ben Mitchell double to deep right field. Buffa would come around to score on a CF Tate Matheny single.

SS Shane Benes would score the second run of the game, after leading the third inning off with a double and scoring on a Bond single, and giving Westminster a 2-0 lead. Bond would finish the day going three for three with three singles and an RBI.

Lutheran South threatened in the top of the sixth, after RF Ethan Krenning drew a two out walk, Sam Gieg smashed a double to deep left center. Westminster CF Matheny bare handed the throw off the wall, fired a shot to the cut off man, SS Shane Benes, who proceeded to throw a strike to C Brett Bond, tagging out Krenning at the plate and preserving the shut out.

The last Wesntminster run would score in the sixth, after RF Jordan Smith drew a one out walk and advanced to second on a LF Bryce Bell single.  2B Connor Larson would drive in Smith with a fielder’s choice ground out, extending the lead to 3-0.

“Our guy (Lovell) had the chance to be good today, and he was,” said head coach Rich VanGilst on Lovell’s performance. “We made a few huge defensive plays today, which made it easy and more relaxing at the end. This was one of Ben’s best starts of the season the inning.”

No. 5 Springfield Catholic 2  Forsyth 3: Forsyth upset Springfield Catholic in ten innings, with Seth Niges throwing all ten, scattering eight hits and surrendering only two runs.  Billy Dees and Jay Kaufman provided the offense for Forsyth, Dees collecting two RBIs and a run scored and Kaufman driving in a run

No. 6 Clever 7 Marionville 4: Chance Wolfe continues to swing a hot bat, going a perfect three for three with two RBIs and Travis Pennewell had two hits.  Wolfe also threw four innings, striking out seven.

No. 7 Parkway South 7   Parkway North 5: Jake Brentz, Parker Bettedorf, and Anthony Duke each drove in a run, and Tyler Olmid drove in two to pace the Parkway South offense. Sam Rugen went three innings allowing one run for the win on the mound.

No. 10 Summit Christian Academy 6    Raytown 8: Raytown upset Summit Christian behind the offense of Tyler Lockler an Chris Flansburg, who each had two RBIs.

No. 16 Raymore-Peculiar 2   Blue Springs 22: Blue Springs dominated No. 16 Raymore-Peculiar, pounding out 21 hits on the afternoon. The big blow came off the bat of Nick Dorman, a grand slam to break the game open. Corbin Hare threw a four hitter for the win.

No. 17 Pacific 9   Hermann 0: Hank Vandaveer and Nathan Bruns each went two for three at the plate with two RBIs and a run scored. Josh Moore picked up the win, with five innings pitched and ten strikeouts

Grain Valley 3   Harrisonville 2: Tm Collins struck out thirteen batters, and drew a bases loaded walk to pick up the winning RBI in the win.

Fredericktown 8   Arcadia Valley 0:  Barks Bryant had a career day on the mound, striking out eighteen batters over seven innings.  Brady Brown went two for five with three RBIs and Tanner ward went two for two with a triple, two RBIs and a run scored to pace the Fredericktown offense.

Marquette 7   Seckman 5: Danny Mannion went two for three with a homerun, two RBIs and two runs scored to lead the Mustang offense, while Matt Schobel collected two RBIs.

CBC 2   Timberland 1:  Bobby Lang provided all the offense for the Cadets, going two for three with a triple and two RBIs. Paul Sullivan threw a complete game surrendering six hits.

Ladue 12  Bayless 0: Lex Kaplan, Turner Miller, and Daniel Sheinbien  each went two for three and drove in three runs in an easy win for Ladue. Kaplan had a double and triple (two runs scored), Miller homered and doubled, and Sheinbein doubled.

Ft. Zumwalt West 8   Pattonville 0:  Austin Verschoore went two for four with a triple with two RBIs and two runs scored while Anthony Baker went two for three with two RBIs and two runs scored to lead the West offense.  Dan Gabler went six innings striking eight in the one hit effort.

Republic 9   Bolivar 4: Nathan Strobel went one for four with a three run homerun and two runs scored and Creed Smiley went one for one with two RBIs to lead the Republic offense.

Oran 10   Delta 0: A seven run first inning set the tone for the afternoon, with Oran shutting out Delta.  Jacob Priggel went two for three with a double, three RBIs, and two runs scored to lead the Oran offense. Blake Carlyle went two for four with two RBIs and two runs scored and Seth Rossel went three for four with two RBIs and one run scored.

Clayton 11   University City 4: Jake Brown went two for four with three RBIs and Sam Fox and Jeremy Phillips each drove in two en route to victory.

Other scores:

Belton 4   Lee’s Summit 2

North Calloway 1   Southern Boone 0

O’Fallon Christian 7   John Burroughs 6

Ft. Osage 2   Park Hill 1

MICDS 7   Lutheran North 1

Chaminade 10   Parkway West 9

Orchard Farm 7  Elsberry 2

Borgia 3   DeSoto 3

Sullivan 12    St. James 5