Bulldog Sports Round-Up | May 9, 2025

• By YS News Staff
• Published: May 16, 2025

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BASEBALL

JV plays another thriller

The varsity’s conference opponent last week was Legacy Christian. Tuesday, April 29’s matchup was to be held at Cedarville University, but was canceled due to rain. The game was moved to Gaunt Park on Wednesday, April 30, and they were able to play.

Mason Cline got the start and had a solid outing. He gave up only one earned run on four hits and six strikeouts in his four innings of work. However, the defense did not support him well, making several errors leading to runs in the first, second and third innings. The Bulldogs were able to put runs across in the third and fifth innings but were unable to keep up with the Knights, who took home the victory. Caleb Derrickson, Jaxyn Fletcher and Graham Turnmire each had two hits in the game.

The Friday and Saturday games against Legacy Christian and Twin Valley South, respectively, were both canceled due to the continued rain and poor field conditions.

The JV squad was able to get in one of their games. They kicked it off by hosting the Greenon JV team on Monday at Gaunt Park. This was another very exciting game that started with quite a bang.

The Knights jumped out to an early lead by scoring four runs in the top of the first inning. However, the Bulldogs were up to the challenge. Collin Goebel led off and reached on an error. The next three batters — Edwin Harrah, Ashby Lyons and Jaxyn Fletcher — each singled. Lucas Price was then hit by a pitch and Graham Turnmire walked, with a strikeout in between and after. All this led to the Bulldogs leading 5–4 after the first inning. The Knights seemed a little stunned and were unable to put another run across the plate in the next two innings, while the Bulldogs scored 3 and 1 to take a 9–4 lead after three innings.

The Knights seemed to catch their breath and plated two in the top of the fourth inning. The resilient Bulldogs started the bottom of the fourth inning with Goebel coaxing a walk, followed by a Price double. The Turnmire brothers then had back-to-back singles, leading to a four-run tally for the inning and a commanding 13–6 lead after four innings.

The fifth inning was not kind to the Bulldogs as they began to talk run-rule and possibly lose a little focus. When the inning was over, the Knights had put together an eight-run inning to take the lead with 14. The Bulldogs were unable to put together a rally in the bottom of the inning and neither team scored in the sixth. This left the Bulldogs down by one run in the seventh and final inning.

The Knights pushed a run across in the top of the seventh, leaving the Bulldogs now down by two runs. The lead-off man grounded out, then Goebel came to the plate looking to do damage. He again walked and immediately stole second base. Harrah ripped another single to score Goebel. Fletcher walked, putting men on first and second with one out. Kaiden McFarlane came to the plate with one thing on his mind — and that was to knock in his teammate to tie the game. He smashed the first pitch he saw to center field. Harrah took off immediately and rounded third base. Coach Sam Jacobs was windmilling his arm wildly, signaling to Harrah to go home. All of Harrah’s energy and focus was on getting to home plate. One thing stood in his way: A very large Knight catcher. The ball and Harrah arrived at home plate at the same time. Harrah did his best to avoid the impediment and slide into home. He did it and the ball rolled away. The wild cheers from his teammates drowned out the call that was he was called out for not avoiding the collision. Alas, the next batter flew out and the game was lost in a 14–15 thriller that again went down to the wire.

The middle school team was off last week due to their trip to Washington D.C. and a rainout on Saturday that was to be against Dayton Christian.

All of this leaves us with just two weeks left in the regular season. Regular in this case refers to the in-season games versus the post-season, since this year has been anything but regular with all the weather issues. Anyway, the varsity team is scheduled to play in the Sectional tournament Monday, May 19, at 5 p.m., at a location to be determined. The details will be shared here in a couple of weeks after the May 11 tournament drawing meeting.

—Coach Mitch Clark

TRACK

Bulldogs compete at Mechanicsburg

The Yellow Springs High School boys and girls track teams avoided the rain last Friday night at the Mechanicsburg Invitational. The girls squad finished in third place among the eight team field while the boys earned a fifth-place finish.

Sophomore Isabella Espinosa started the night off with a first place and personal-best time of 17.40 in winning the 100 hurdles. Teammate Liliana Herzog was a close second. The girls 400-meter relay quartet of Llnyah Grant, Natalie Gilley, Brooklyn Hapgood and Olivia Washington sped to a first-place run in the 400-meter relay (54.2). Distance runner Sasi Drees ran a great strategic race in the 3200 meters (13:24) with a runner-up effort.

Earning third place bronze medals were Tiger Collins (high jump), Herzog (300 hurdles) and Washington (200 meters). Scoring points with fourth-place efforts were Collins in the long jump and Espinosa in the high jump. Collins also scored fifth place in the 300 hurdles, and teammate Violet Matteson ran a personal best in the 400 meters with fifth place. Rounding out the scoring for the Bulldogs with sixth-place efforts were Elise Bongorno (100 meters), Rebecca DeWine (3200 meters), Espinosa (Long Jump), the 800 relay team of Gilley, Hapgood, Petra Nieberding and Addison Shafeek and the 1600 relay team of Abebu Barnett, Cynthia Burke, Herzog and Matteson. Solid efforts were turned in by Sierra Sundell-Turner and Evie Thomas.

The boys squad received fourth-place scoring efforts from Matteo Chaiten (400 meters), Wills Oberg (800 meters) and Aaron White (high jump). Fifth-place points were earned by Kiernan Anderson (300 hurdles), Cooper Folck (high jump), the 1600 relay team of Anderson, Chaiten, Logan Cooper and Nic Washington and the 3200 relay squad of Adrian Benedict, Oberg, Luka Rao and Sherrod Washington. Contributing sixth-place points were Chaiten (100 meters), Nic Washington (200 and 400 meters) and the 400 relay quartet of Anderson, Collin Calfee, White and Morris Wyatt. Superb performances were given by Evan Galarza and Sailor Schultz.

Competing last Thursday at the prestigious Wayne Invitational were Llnyah Grant, who competed in the 100 and 200 meters, and Kyle Johnston (3200 meters), who ran a personal-best time of 10:01.

Coaches Isabelle Dierauer and John Gudgel asserted that the Bulldogs competed very well and are primed for the upcoming meets with the annual Bulldog Invitational on Friday, May 9, and the Metro Buckeye Conference meet being held next Tuesday, May 13, at YSHS.

—Coach John Gudgel

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