Elmwood's offense comes alive late vs. Defiance

SOFTBALL ELMWOOD 13DEFIANCE 0DEFIANCE – Defiance kept Elmwood's offense in check for five innings on Saturday. But the Royals, boasting a team batting average of .424 and averaging 12.6 runs a game, weren't going to be stymied forever.Elmwood led just 1-0 through five innings, but scored three runs in the top of the sixth inning, then erupted for nine more runs in the seventh to cap off a 13-0 win.Leah Allison homered and drove in four runs and Bristol Evans knocked in three runs with a pair of base hits. Trinity Sander had two doubles, drove in one run and scored three times.Libbie Tyson had a two-run double as Elmwood, ranked No. 6 in the Division V state polls, improved to 14-0 heading into today's BVC showdown at Liberty-Benton.Cheyenne Podach pitched a five-hit shutout to up her record to 4-0. The Elmwood junior struck out four and did not walk a batter.Defiance ace Addison Miller pitched five strong innings, allowing just one run before Elmwood broke loose.Elmwood 100 003 9—13 11 1Defiance 000 000 0—0 5 2WP—Podach (4-0). LP—Miller. TOP HITTERS: (Elm) Sander 2-2B, RBI; Tyson 2B, 2 RBI; Allison HR, 4 RBI; Blake 1B, RBI; Casey 1B, RBI; Evans 2-1B, 3 RBI. (Def) Miller 2B. VANLUE 11MANS. CHR. 10MANSFIELD – Mansfield Christian outhit Vanlue 7-6 on Saturday. Vanlue made the most of its opportunities, though, capitalizing on six walks, two beaned batters and 12 errors to beat the Flames 11-10.Adrienne Phillips had two hits and a walk, drove in three run and scored three. Aubree Higgins added a pair of singles as Vanlue improved to 4-6 on the season.Cassidi Nelson (3-1B) and Tori Zerby (2-1B) both drove in three runs for Mansfield Christian (3-4).Vanlue 142 020 2—11 6 4Mans. Chr. 142 010 2—10 7 12WP—M. Brooks. LP—Nelson. TP HITTERS: (Van) Phillips 2-1B, 3 RBI; A. Brooks 1B, RBI; Higgins 2-1B. (MC) Zerby 2-1B, 3 RBI; Nelson 3-1B, 3 RBI. VAN BUREN 14COL. GROVE 10COLUMBUS GROVE – Van Buren pounded out 17 total hits and ended a three-game slide with a 14-10 win over Columbus Grove on Saturday.Seven of Van Buren's 17 hits were for extra bases, with Ava DeCooman (1B, 3B, 4 RBI) drilling a triple and Jordan Patton (2-1B, 2B, RBI), Claire Miller (2B, RBI), Claire Maag (2-2B, 3 RBI), Andrea Groman (1B, 2B, 4 RBI) and Sawyer Moore (1B, 2B) all lining at least one of Van Buren's six doubles. Audrey Riegle and Avery Beall also had two hits for the Black Knights (5-7).Avery Birnesser singled, doubled and drove in three runs for Columbus Grove (4-9).Van Buren 201 56—14 17 3Col. Grove 305 02—10 7 1WP—Beall. LP—Dunn. TOP HITTERS: (VB) DeCooman (1B, 3B, 4 RBI); Patton (2-1B, 2B, RBI); Miller (2B, RBI); Maag (2-2B, 3 RBI); Groman (1B, 2B, 4 RBI); Moore (1B, 2B); Riegle (2-1B, RBI); Beall (2-1B. (CG) Heffner 2-1B; Benroth 2B, RBI; Birnesser 1B, 2B, 3 RBI; Dunn 1B, 2 RBI; M. Schroeder 1B, 2 RBI. KALIDA 15ARLINGTON 5ARLINGTON – Kalida's Sophie Vorst singled and tripled in leading the Wildcats to a 15-5 softball win over Arlington.Kalida improved to 3-8 with the victory. Arlington fell to 2-8.