Bulldog Sports Round-Up | May 8, 2026
- Published: May 21, 2026
BASEBALL
Bulldogs tested in four-game stretch
Varsity made the long trip Tuesday, April 28, to face the perennial powerhouse Blanchester Wildcats. The Wildcats have used their strong pitching, great defense and timely hitting to amass a 12–0 record and earn a No. 4 state ranking in Division V. The young Bulldogs were not intimidated and remained determined to make a game out of it. Mason Cline took the mound and did a good job of keeping the Wildcats off balance. Unfortunately, the defense behind him had several miscues, leading to two runs in the first inning.
The Bulldogs put three across in the top of the third inning when Ashby Lyons singled, Caleb Derrickson was hit by a pitch, Mateo Basora walked, and Cline brought home all three runners with a double to center field. The Wildcats answered with two more runs in the bottom of the third inning to take a 4–3 lead. That was all the scoring for either team, so the Bulldogs came away with a tough 4–3 loss. The Bulldogs outhit the Wildcats with seven hits but were only able to plate three runs due to some unfortunate baserunning errors.
The varsity made another long trip Thursday, April 30, this time to Mechanicsburg. As if the Blanchester game was not enough of a challenge, the Indians were ranked No. 5 in the state going into the game and boasting an Ohio Player of the Year candidate on their roster.
Bryce Fleming got the start and welcomed the challenge. The Indians started quickly with a single, followed by a run-scoring double. They scored a second run on an error, but Fleming worked his way out of the inning after that and settled in nicely. He gave up a solo homer to the Indians’ superstar to give them a 3–0 lead.
Fantastic diving catches by Collin Goebel and Kian Rainey kept the Indians from scoring again until a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning put them up 4–0 going into the final frame. Strong pitching and defense had held the Bulldogs in check, but they were not about to go down without a fight.
After a groundout to start the seventh inning, Fleming knocked a single, Oskar Dennis walked, and Rainey singled to load the bases. Braden Derrickson was hit by a pitch to keep the bases loaded as the Bulldogs scored their first run of the game. Chris Goebel took a walk to force in a second run and keep the bases juiced. The Indians’ closer came in to strike out the final two batters, the last one on quite the questionable call that may have taken a lob wedge to hit if the Bulldog batter had tried. In the end, the Bulldogs took the 4–2 loss on the evening.
Friday, May 1, the game was much closer to home, at Nischwitz Stadium at Wright State University, against the Fairlawn Jets. The varsity squad was excited to play in a Division I college stadium and have the middle school team in attendance to cheer for them. The Bulldogs jumped out to a big 7–0 lead after two innings, powered by Rainey’s double and speedster Jaxyn Fletcher’s triple.
The Bulldogs let down their guard a bit, giving up four runs in both the third and fourth innings to the Jets. The teams traded punches over the next few innings with the Bulldogs up 11–9 going into the bottom of the sixth inning. Closer Lyons was brought in a tad early to try to shut down the Jets. He allowed a run in the sixth, but that run was promptly matched in the top of the seventh when Cline tripled to the wall and scored on a groundout. Lyons set down the Jets in order in the bottom of the seventh to seal the victory for the Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs did not have to travel at all Saturday, May 2, but the unusual 10 a.m. start time was not kind to them. They gave up eight runs in the first inning and six in the second, to fall behind the visiting Southeastern Trojans before the sleep was wiped from their eyes. The Bulldogs fought hard to come back from the demoralizing start, but they were only able to muster nine runs.
Cline led the team with four base hits on the day, and Basora added two doubles to go along with multiple-hit games by both seniors Caleb Derrickson and Fletcher. The Bulldogs outhit the Trojans 12–11, but came up short 17–9 due to multiple walks and errors. Derrickson came in for a long relief stint of 5 2/3 innings, holding the Trojans down while the Bulldogs tried to make their comeback.
Monday, April 27, the JV game vs. Brookville started out with a bang as the Blue Devils posted a big number in the first inning. That’s the bad news; the good news is that the score did not stand due to the game being called before it became official. The umpire did his best to get the game in, but during the lightning-induced waiting period, the rain made the field unsafe for continued play. The weather was again a factor Wednesday, canceling the contest against the Wayne Warriors.
The middle school had a midseason break due to the annual eighth-grade trip to Washington, D.C. They will resume next week with a couple of games scheduled with nearby Greenview.
—Coach Mitch Clark
SOFTBALL
Bulldogs fall to Pirates
The Bulldogs dropped a nonconference matchup Thursday, April 30, falling 22–4 to the West Carrollton Pirates. A game scheduled for Tuesday, April 28, against Trotwood was canceled.
Freshman Malini Miller led the Bulldogs with one run and one RBI, while freshman Jai’bre Anderson and senior Lily Fritsch each scored a run. Freshman Piper Millhoan also crossed the plate, and Audrey Millhoan drove in one. Miller also recorded two strikeouts on the mound.
Stats and scores for May 2 and 4 games against Fairlawn and Meadowdale, respectively, were not available at press time.
The Bulldog’s overall season record is 5–9; the team remains unbeaten in conference play at 4–0.
TRACK
Bulldogs excel at Greenon Relays
Running last Saturday, May 2, at nearby Greenon High School, the Bulldogs deviated from their normal meet schedule and participated in an all-relays meet. Both the boys and girls teams finished in fifth place among the seven-team field of schools.
Senior Llnyah Grant leaped to a first-place finish in the long jump (15-0) and was joined by teammates Isabella Espinosa (third) and Abebu Barnett (eighth). The girls quartet of Isabella Espinosa, Natalie Gilley, Brooklyn Hapgood and Llnyah Grant ran to a first-place finish in the 400-meter relay (53.34), while the sprint medley squad of Inez Creepingbear, Isabella Espinosa, Natalie Gilley and Llnyah Grant, along with the mixed medley team of Kiernan Anderson, Matteo Chaiten, Brooklyn Hapgood and Violet Matteson, earned fourth-place points.
Eleventh-grader Paradise Everhart heaved the shot put to a fifth-place throw, while the distance medley group of Rebecca DeWine, Sasi Drees, Violet Matteson and Sierra Sundell-Turner scored points by finishing in seventh place. Bella Thomas performed well in the shot put.
On the boys side, the 400-meter relay quartet of Kiernan Anderson, Carter Brookey, Matteo Chaiten and Nicholas Washington sprinted to a runner-up effort. Three third-place finishes were achieved by Sailor Schultz (shot put); the Ironman 400 relay team of Arthur DeVore, Trevor Roberts, Sailor Schultz and Brendyn Slone chugged to third place; and the 3200-meter relay group of Adrian Benedict, Hugo Grigorian, Kyle Johnston and Wills Oberg also finished third.
Rounding out the scoring for the Bulldogs was the distance medley group of DeVore, Grigorian, Johnston and Oberg, along with the 800-meter relay group of Carter Brookey, Amitai DeLamatre, Roberts and Nicholas Washington.
Competing at the prestigious Wayne Invitational last week were Johnston, who finished first in his heat of the 1600 meters with a personal-best time of 4:34, while Grant competed against the top female sprinters in Ohio in the 100 and 200 meters.
Coaches Isabelle Dierauer, John Gudgel and Dave Johnston were well pleased with the peak performances that the Bulldogs achieved this weekend as they enter the final phase of the season.
The Bulldogs will host their annual invitational on Friday, May 8, at 5 p.m. Prior to the start of the meet, the team will recognize the graduating seniors. Next Tuesday, May 12, the team will host the Metro Buckeye Conference meet, beginning at 5 p.m.
—Coach John Gudgel
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