Starfires bounce back with lopsided win

UNION CITY — The Indians committed errors.
The Starfires made them hurt.
South Adams High School’s softball team bounced back from a three-game losing streak, capitalizing on 15 errors by Union City in a 19-5 victory Wednesday.
The Starfires (9-8) scored four runs in the top of the first inning and had a 5-4 lead after two. They started to pull away with a pair of runs in the second, and added four more in the fifth for an 11-5 advantage.
South Adams plated one run in the sixth before striking for seven runs in the top of the seventh for the lopsided victory.
After going hitless Tuesday against Jay County, Alaina Johnston tallied two doubles, drove in three runs and scored twice to lead the Stars. Loren Sparks had three RBIs on two hits, with Lauren Smith adding three singles.
Maddie Morgan was 3-for-6 with two doubles. Cindy In’t Groen had a single and a triple and Keirstyn Grimm had a pair of singles as the Starfires exploded for 18 hits.
Karleigh Whetsel earned the win pitching, allowing four runs — three earned — on four hits while striking out four and walking one in four innings. Loren Sparks pitched in relief, allowing one unearned run.

Tennis blanks Indians
BERNE — The South Adams girls tennis team moved to 6-7 on the season with a 5-0 sweep of Union City on Wednesday.
After dropping the first set to Christy Mote at No. 3 singles, Caralie Farlow battled for a three-set win, 5-7, 7-6, 10-8.
Brittany Potts and Maddie Graber didn’t lose a game in their singles matches. Potts defeated Kiana Cleere 6-0, 6-0 at No. 1 singles, and Graber beat Katie Rismiller 6-0, 6-0 at No. 2 singles.
At No. 1 doubles, Riley Liechty and Kylea Pierce won 6-0, 6-1, and Kara Seffernick and Autumn Von Gunten defeated Rachel Christ and Allie Conklin at No. 2 doubles, 6-1, 6-0.
The Starfires’ junior varsity team also won, 2-0.
MaJena Gerber and Treva Clingenpeel earned victories, both 8-0 against Tiffany Edwards.
Dalrymple leads Loy’s
Nate Dalrymple had two hits, including a home run, helping Loy’s Realty to a 15-2 victory Tuesday against Dunkirk in Portland Junior League’s Sandy Koufax division.
Dalrymple was one of seven players for Loy’s to notch multi-hit games. Jesse Basham and Derek Bryan each tallied three hits, with Nicholas NIckson, Jordan Schricker, Bailey Cox and Zack Twigg adding two hits apiece.

Brewster hits blast
Rieley Brewster’s three-run home run powered Fisher Meats to a 12-0 victory Crossroads Financial Federal Credit Union in PJL’s Minor softball league.
Kearston Myers had two singles and a double for Fisher, with Kylie Klopfenstein tallying a pair of singles. Lauren Brewster, Grace Brewster, Emma Swingley and Paige Ingram all added singles.

First Merchants wins
Jacquelin Rivers and Emily Manor tallied three hits and drove in a trio of runs, helping First Merchants Bank to a 10-7 victory over Portland Optimist in Portland Junior League Rookie softball action.
Rose Carter also notched three hits, including a double, and scored twice. Adriene Denney and Carley Trinidad had two hits apiece. Rivers also scored three times.

DeRome hits ace
Cliff DeRome hit a hole-in-one Sunday at Portland Golf Club.
Using his 5-wood, DeRome aced the 178-yard, par-3 15th.
John Bornhorst and Dick Stuckey witnessed his feat.