Prep Diamond Round-up: No. 1 Chiefs win battle of state-ranked teams

Junior Brent Boland drove in three runs, including the one which tied the game, during the 'Hounds' 8-7 win over Pilot Grove. (Chris Allen/Democrat-News) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

STURGEON -- Recent additions to the Santa Fe baseball team's schedule has seen an upgrade in the level of competition for the defending Class 1 state champions.

That was certainly the case Wednesday, when the top-ranked Chiefs traveled to No. 8 Sturgeon, nabbing an 8-4 decision.

Santa Fe never trailed, but neither could it shake the pesky Bulldogs until junior Matt Lovercamp followed junior Hunter Rolf's lead-off single in the seventh inning with his fifth homer of the season.

Sophomore Nathan Wesley smacked a two-run single, then came home on a double steal, to give the Chiefs a 4-0 lead in the fourth.

Senior right-hander Logan Kirchhoff was in trouble every inning, but stranded six runners during the first three frames, before Sturgeon (9-4) cashed in on three errors in the fourth with an RBI single by freshman Sam Pollock and junior Tory Hicks' two-run double.

The Chiefs led by only a run before senior Ben Catlett, freshman Dalton Wilkinson and junior Jake Hollingsworth singled for a pair of tallies in the sixth.

Wilkinson's three hits topped Santa Fe (9-0), which plans to play at Class 2 foe Higginsville today.

Sweet Springs 8, Pilot Grove 7

SWEET SPRINGS -- Sweet Springs scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning Wednesday to pull out an 8-7 non-conference decision against Pilot Grove.

The Tigers scored three runs in the third inning, getting RBI singles from sophomore Drew Hammerich and senior Ethan Felten, for a 4-0 lead.

The Greyhounds stormed back with six runs in the fifth, sophomore David Hall and junior Brent Boland coming through with two-run doubles.

However, Sweet Springs fell behind in the sixth, junior Brett Twenter's double plating one run and two more crossing on a double by senior Shane Twenter.

Down to their final at-bat, the 'Hounds opened the seventh with a double by junior Billy Martin. Pilot Grove (5-3) tried to get Martin out at third base on a comebacker to the mound, but the throw wasn't in time.

Sophomore Kyle Fuehring stole second base and went to third when Boland's single brought in Martin with the tying run. Freshman Colby Dohrman bounced to the drawn-in third baseman, but Fuehring beat the peg to the plate to win the game.

Boland's three hits led Sweet Springs (4-8), which will play Monday at Sacred Heart.

Salisbury 8, Slater 3

SLATER -- It didn't get the win, but Slater held its own with Lewis and Clark Conference champion Salisbury until the final inning of Tuesday's 8-3 home loss.

That's when the Wildcats' defense, which had not committed an error up to that point, muffed three plays for two unearned runs. Those, along with junior Ian Clark's RBI single, broke open a 5-3 contest for the Panthers.

Junior Josh Roling's two-run single in the first inning put Salisbury in front, but the 'Cats caught up when senior Derek Ballowe knocked in a pair of runs with a two-out single in the second.

Slater briefly held a lead after sophomore Jacob Brumit singled in a run in the third, but the Panthers (11-2, 2-0 L&C) banged out five singles -- Roling, sophomore Marcus Linebaugh and junior Derek Henke driving in runs -- for three tallies in the fifth.

Senior Tyler Bishop scored a pair of runs for the 'Cats (2-8, 0-2), who are scheduled to host Concordia today.