Red Raider baseball sweeps Madison-Plains

By Gregg Rettig
Managing Editor

Championships are won by winning these types of games.
The London baseball team came up with the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning Friday night to top Madison-Plains, 3-2, in a South Central Ohio League game.
Red Raider Jordan Hutchinson blasted a single to centerfield with the bases loaded and two outs.
“We got timely hits when we needed them,” London coach Jimmy Wolverton said. “We’ve been getting hits with two outs all season long. You just can’t go up there and take it. You’ve got to keep fighting and that’s what we’ve been doing. You can’t get the jitters.”
Both starters pitched well Friday. Nick Garrett threw a complete game for Madison-Plains, while Justin Smith went six-and-two-thirds before giving way to Kyle Fisher.
Fisher earned the win.
Matt Jeffers homered for Madison-Plains, which is now 4-7, 4-4.
Hutchinson finished 2-for-3 for London, which is now 13-2, 8-1 and in first place in the SCOL.
Jake Burns collected two doubles for the Red Raiders.

Jonathan Alder 3,
DeSales 1
COLUMBUS — The Jonathan Alder baseball team scored an impressive 3-1 victory on Thursday over perennial power DeSales.
Junior Brad Miller pitched a complete game for the victory.

Shekinah Christian 8,
Marion Harding 7
MARION — The Shekinah Christian baseball team scored seven times in the top of the fourth inning to top Division I Marion Harding on Thursday night.
Trent Helmuth hit a two-run home run in the inning and he also had a double.
Keith Krammer had two doubles for the Flames, who are now 8-8.
Justin Helmuth pitched a complete game for the victory.

Softball
Madison-Plains 8,
London 7
Courtney Patton was both a leader on the mound and at the plate for the Madison-Plains softball team as it held on to top London in South Central Ohio League play Friday night.
Patton earned the victory and was 3-for-4 hitting.
“Courtney did a nice job keeping the ball down and moving it around the plate,” Madison-Plains coach Kevin Stockham said. “She threw strikes, especially when she needed to.
“Any win is a good win.”
Ashley Butts was 2-for-3 for Madison-Plains, which improves to 7-10, 4-5.
London falls to 3-12, 1-8.

West Jefferson 11,
Fisher Catholic 0
The West Jefferson softball team had little trouble with visiting Fisher Catholic on Friday, winning the Mid-State League/Cardinal Division game in five innings.
On Thursday night, the Roughriders scored a 7-2 road victory over Division I Dublin Coffman.
West Jeff collected 11 hits, including a 4-for-4 night from Coren Braithwaite.
“Coren had a great night, but all of the girls are hitting,” West Jeff coach Jim Stevens said. “Beating Coffman, a Division I team, is a real confidence booster for us.”

Tennis
Grove City 5,
Jonathan Alder 0
GROVE CITY — Grove City beat the Jonathan Alder boys tennis team Friday night.
JA is now 3-6.
In singles play, J. Swavely def. D. Troyer 6-1, 6-1; A. Ray def. S. Schoppelrei 6-1, 6-0; and J. Braughton def. K. Yoder 6-2, 6-1
In doubles play, T. Wright/B. Davis def. J. Byers/N. Beachy 6-2, 6-3; B. Wise/T. Laine def. J. Eye/D. Hutchinson 6-4, 6-3.
On Thursday, the Pioneers lost 4-1 to Worthington Christian.