Patrick Henry uses big third inning to down Black Knights

P. HENRY 13 VAN BUREN 3 NAPOLEON – For the first two innings, things went right for Van Buren. Playing Patrick Henry in the Division VI district final in Napoleon Friday, Finn Martin singled in a run in the first, then in the second, hit an RBI groundout. Black Knights starting pitcher Canyn Schoefield threw scoreless ball for the first two innings, and Van Buren went to the third with a 2-0 advantage over the Patriots. But then, Patrick Henry took over. It scored six runs in the third and never looked back, hitting six doubles and cruising to a six-inning, 13-3 win. Jackson Meienburg singled twice and drove in four runs for the Patriots, while Mack Hieber doubled twice, singled, scored three times and drove in three runs. Lane Biederstedt doubled, singled twice and drove in a pair of runs for Patrick Henry, which connected on 14 base hits in improving to 17-7. Cal Schroeder and Grady McKee each pitched three innings for the Patriots, with Schroeder giving up two runs on five hits. He struck out three and walked three. McKee struck out one and walked two. Van Buren's Reid Cramer singled twice, scored and drove in a run. The Black Knights used four pitchers. Schofield went 2 1/3 innings, allowing seven runs on six hits, but only one run was earned. Patrick Henry will advance to play St. Henry in the regional semifinal at Bowling Green on Wednesday at 5 p.m. Van Buren 110 001 – 3 7 2 Patrick Henry 006 034 – 13 14 0 WP –C. Schroeder. LP – Schofield. TOP HITTERS: Cramer 2-1B, RBI, R; Martin 1B, 2-RBI. (PH) Heiber 2-2B, 1B, 3R, 3-RBI; Meinberg 2-1B, 4-RBI. REGIONAL SOFTBALL DANVILLE 12 ADA 2 BELLEFONTAINE – Danville scored runs in five of the seven innings Thursday, banged out 14 hits, and dismissed Ada from the Division VI regional semifinal, 12-2. Ruby Bartock and Liz John each slugged solo homers for the Blue Devils (22-5), who will advance to today's regional final against New Madison Tri Village at noon at Bellefontaine Ada, which reached regional for the second consecutive season, finished at 20-4.