Starfires top Raiders to share conference lead

BERNE — The Starfires are inching closer to a conference championship.
South Adams High School’s softball team moved to 3-1 in Allen County Athletic Conference play on Thursday, defeating the Southern Wells Raiders in a doubleheader.
The Starfires (11-4, 3-1 ACAC) defeated the Raiders 11-1 in five innings during the conference tilt, then won 7-6 in a non-conference game.
South Adams is now tied with county rival Adams Central for first place in the conference.
Keirstyn Grimm paced the Starfire offense. She had a pair of doubles on the day, drove in four runs and scored once. Lexi Dellinger had three RBIs, and Katelin Augsburger chipped in with two RBIs.
Abby Myers and Casi Evans both had two singles, and Augsburger had a triple and a single.
Augsburger was the winning pitcher in both games. She started the first, going five innings, giving up an earned run on three hits with three strikeouts.
She came in to relieve Isabella Ramirez in game two, allowing one unearned run on two hits. She struck out six and walked one.

SA wins on late push
BERNE — South Adams’ baseball team used a late push Thursday to defeat the Southern Wells Raiders, 9-1.
The Starfires (10-7, 3-1 ACAC) scored a run in each of the first and third innings, before tacking on three in the fourth for a 5-0 lead. They pushed across two runs in the fifth before the Raiders were able to break the shutout in the sixth.
South Adams responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame to keep the game out of reach.
Justin Nussbaum had three hits, two runs and an RBI to lead the SAHS offense. Jayden Dull had a double, a single and drove in three runs. Braxton Haight and Corbin Blomeke each added doubles, and Haight had two RBIs.
Mark Clary earned the victory. He allowed one earned run while scattering two hits over six innings. He struck out seven and walked two.

FR falls to ’Skins
FORT RECOVERY — The Fort Recovery softball team dropped to 0-6 in conference play with a 9-2 loss Thursday to the St. Henry Redskins.
St. Henry scored four runs in the second inning to lead 5-0, but then Fort Recovery (3-17, 0-6 Midwest Athletic Conference) responded with two runs in the home half of the frame. The Redskins extended the lead with two runs in the third inning, and added one each in the fourth and fifth.
Emily Hart and Taylor Grisez had the only two hits for the Indians, who also committed three errors. Seniors Chelsea Timmerman and Tori Vaughn both walked once.
Timmerman took the loss, giving up all nine runs — seven earned — on 13 hits. She struck out three and walked two in seven innings.

Stars shut out UC
UNION CITY — The Indians put up little fight against the Starfires.
The South Adams High School girls tennis team only lost one game in a 5-0 victory over the Union City Indians on Wednesday.
Senior Brittany Potts and sophomore Haley Gerber won their respective singles matches 6-0, 6-0. Potts defeated Katie Rasmiller at No. 1 singles, and Gerber knocked off Elizabeth Sowinski at No. 3 singles.
Sophomore Breanna Potts defeated Tiffany Edwards at No. 2 singles, 6-1, 6-0.
The Starfires’ No. 1 doubles team of Riley Liechty and Kylea Pierce defeated Sydney Ralston and Allie Conklin 6-0, 6-0. At No. 2 doubles, Julia Grabau and Caralie Farlow won by forfeit.
In the only junior varsity match, Sydney Pierce and Autumn Von Gunten defeated Breann Ward and Maria Casillas 8-2.