2014 Prep Baseball Report Daily Roundup

By Drake Skleba
Senior Writer

Tuesday March 18
Baseball is back!

Nonconference

Salem 6, No. 75 Mount Vernon 4
Salem (1-0) trailed No. 75 Mount Vernon 4-2 as the game entered the bottom of the fourth. The host Wildcats proceeded to score one in the fourth, two in the fifth to take a 5-4 lead and added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth, to secure a come-from-behind 6-4 victory in Salem.  

Riley Martin (1-0) slammed the door on Mount Vernon, allowing one hit and striking out six Ram hitters to pick up the win on the mound. Martin also contributed a 3-for-3 day at the plate with an RBI. Wildcat No. 9 hitter Wyatt McGhee singled home Nick Conklin with the eventual game-winning run in the fifth to give the Wildcats a 5-4 lead they would not relinquish.McGhee had two hits and two RBI. Conklin had three hits and plated two for Salem.

Mount Vernon (0-1)  was led by senior Thomas Weber who was 3-for-3 with a double and a RBI.

Springfield 10, Riverton 5
Springfield scored four times in the bottom of the fifth to open up a 9-3 lead and went on to a 10-5 season-opening win over Riverton (0-1) The game was the season-opener for both schools. Senior Dane Minder and  junior 2B Rich Barnum, each drove home four runs to lead the Senator attack. Minder single, doubled and tripled driving in four runs. Barnum singled and doubled plating four for the Central State 8 Conference winners.

Southern Illinois River-River Crossover

Benton 5, Carterville 1
Rangers ace junior Dakota Head allowed one run and two hits in his six stellar innings of work on the mound to lead Benton (1-0) past Carterville in the season-opener for both schools in Benton on Tuesday. Head (1-0) struck out four Lion hitters and walked only one to nail down the opening-day decision. Fellow junior Gus Gibbs fired a hitless seventh.

The Rangers struck for a pair of runs in the second and third innings to open up a 4-0 lead. Each team scored a run in the fourth to conclude the scoring. Benton senior Nate Higgins had a pair of singles and drove home a run. Senior Matt Buntin, junior Martin Ward and sophomore Cole Richardson each singled and plated a Ranger run. Head chipped in with a double and a run scored.

Carterville (0-1) was led by their cleanup-hitter Cam Lenzi who singled and drove home the lone Lion tally.

Taylorville 13, Morrisonville 11
Taylorville (1-0) defeated the hosts from Morrisonville in a slugfest on Tuesday. It was the season opener for the Tornadoes who jumped out to a 5-0 lead before Morrisonville (1-1) scored seven times in the bottom of the third to take the lead 7-5. The Tornadoes reclaimed the lead with four runs in the fourth and added three in the fifth and withstood a late MoHawk rally. Morrisonville sophomore Chandler Meyers tripled home three runs to lead the MoHawks.Senior Leyton Brown singled, doubled and had two RBI.  

Carbondale 10, West Frankfort 2
Carbondale (1-0) junior catcher John Nance may be small in stature but he was a giant at the plate and behind it as the Terriers crushed West Frankfort in the season opener for both clubs on Tuesday. The 5-foot-5, 170 pound receiver was 2-for-2 at the plate with three big ribbies and caught a great game from senior Joey Weber (1-0). Weber allowed one run and three hits in his season-opening six-inning victory on the mound. Weber helped himself at the plate with a 1-for-3 day and an RBI.

Massac County 17, Pope County 1

Johnston City 13, Carrier Mills 1

Season Countdown

+ Preseason Team Rankings

+ Updated Illinois 2016 Player Rankings

+ Updated Illinois 2015 Player Rankings

+ Updated Illinois 2014 Player Rankings

+ Daily Game Schedule Page Now Live

+ June Event Schedule