Jefferson junior Ross Thompson lays the tag on Parkway’s Brandon Moorman on a steal attempt for the second out of the third inning in Saturday’s first game. The Panthers won the first game 14-4 in 5 innings but the Wildcats answered with an 11-7 triumph in the nightcap. (Delphos Herald/Tom Morris)

By JIM METCALFE

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DELPHOS — Jefferson and Parkway split a baseball doubleheader on a chilly, windy and cloudy Saturday afternoon at Wildcat Field at Jefferson High School.

The visiting Panthers (1-2) put up 12 hits and added six bases-on-balls in game one, plus was the recipient of five Wildcat errors, in securing a 14-4 5-inning victory.

From Late Thursday

St. John’s and Marion Local at Coldwater tri-meet

Individual Results (Points 5-3-2-1).

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DELPHOS — Jefferson’s baseballers had been putting up big offensive numbers in compiling a 3-1 opening-week record.

They didn’t do so on a brilliant Thursday before a nice crowd against cross-town rival St. John’s in the Playing Hardball Against ALS (PHAALS) contest held at Wildcat Field.

They didn’t need to as seniors Drew Kortokrax and Zach Ricker combined for a 2-hitter and the ’Cats scored a late run to nab a 3-2 victory.

“This was the first close game we’ve had since our scrimmages; every other game had been won or lost relatively easily,” Jefferson head coach Doug Geary said. “We had to find a different way to win the game. We came up with some big hits. We had our number-9 hitter (Gage Townsend-Schleeter) come up with a sacrifice that helped us score our first run and a big RBI to score the second. This was a great game — we had a warm day with a big crowd against a rival — that gets you ready for the Northwest Conference opener Thursday; every play was significant.”

Tied at 2-2 entering the top of the seventh, the Wildcats, the visitors this day, got a leadoff walk to Austin Jettinghoff by St. John’s senior starter Troy Warnecke (0-1; 6-plus innings, 6 hits, 3 runs, 1 earned, 5 bases-on-balls, 7 strikeouts; 106 pitches, 67 strikes) and Zach Kimmett barely missed a home run to deep left, hitting off the fence for a double and finishing Warnecke’s stint on the mound. Kortokrax greeted lefty reliever Drew Wagner with a fly ball deep enough to center to plate Jettinghoff and move Kimmett to third. Wagner fanned the next two to get out of the inning only down 3-2.

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DELPHOS — Jeff Swick had coached baseball for over a decade at Fort Jennings.
Important though that was for the community, he found a higher calling.

He stepped down to become president of the Playing Hardball Against ALS (PHAALS) Foundation that serves patients and families stricken with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease).

According to information supplied by Swick, founded in 2012, the PHAALS Foundation provides services for the ALS community, helps promote ALS awareness, raises funds for Foundation services and provides families with the Diamond Dreams Program.

The Foundation also provides the PHAALS Hall of Fame Scholarship to approved families with ALS.

It’s mission is to help in the fight for a cure for Lou Gehrig’s Disease and enrich the lives of families battling ALS.

They hope to do this through research, awareness and financial assistance to those stricken with ALS.

Lancers double-up Musketeers in baseball

By NICK JOHNSON
DHI Correspondent
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MIDDLE POINT- The Lincolnview Lancers faced off against the Fort Jennings Musketeers on Thursday night at Lincolnview High School in baseball action.
The Lancers got their first win of the season with a 6-3 victory.

The Musketeers got on the board in the first frame after Mark Metzger singled and came around to score due to some poor fielding by the Lancers.

Lincolnview started the bottom of the first frame with a leadoff single by Nick Leeth, who came around to score when Austin Leeth doubled him home. Later in the first, with two outs, Conner McCleery singled home Austin Leeth to give the Lancers a 2-1 lead after one inning.

In the top of the second, Alex Vetter walked for the Musketeers but Lincolnview pitcher Jalen Roberts struck out two of the next three batters to end the inning.
Kurt Warnecke shut out the Lancer bats over the next three innings, striking out five batters through four innings.

In the top of the fourth inning, the Musketeers struck for 1 run. Vetter singled to start the inning and advanced to second after Zach Finn walked to put runners on first and second. Two batters later, Conner Wallenhorst got an RBI single to tie the game at two.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Lancers got both Nick and Austin Leeth on after both singled. Nick Leeth crossed home plate after a messed-up pickoff attempt by Warnecke. McCleery singled home Austin Leeth to give the Lancers a 4-2 lead in the fifth inning.