BASEBALL
A good start for Indiana High in the WPIAL baseball playoffs, with a dominant win in the first round. Jake Slebodnick has the story.
Indiana coach Bill Thompson says it was a good all-around game for a team that has been playing good baseball lately.
Thompson says the heart of his batting order is setting up Indiana for some solid run production.
The coach says when his pitchers hold down the walks and it’s backed up by solid defense, it keeps the bases clear and holds down the opponents’ offense.
Number seven Quad-A Indiana moves on to the second round, where they will play number two Blackhawk, a 5-4 winner over Thomas Jefferson. The WPIAL has not yet set the date or site. Indiana has not played Blackhawk this season.
SOFTBALL
The Indiana softball team lost their playoff game to Montour, 11-1, in five innings. The Spartans scored a run in the bottom of the first, added three more in the third, two in the fourth, and five in the fifth to end the game. Indiana could get only two hits, by Ella Myers and Maggie Cunningham, off Montour ace Kaitlyn Molitoris, who struck out twelve and walked two. Myers drove in the lone Indiana run.
TRACK & FIELD
At the District 6 Track & Field Championships in Altoona, event winners from the Heritage Conference in the two-day meet include Penns Manor’s Alex Polenik in the discus and shot put, who was the only boys champ. For the girls, Homer-Center’s Justley Sharp won the discus and shot, River Valley’s Sarah McConnell won the high jump, and Portage’s Cami Burkett won the 100 and 200 meters.
Among those hitting the State Standard in addition to the event winners were Penns Manor’s Justin Marshall (2nd in the 100 meters), United’s Bridger Blankenbicker (2nd in the pole vault), and River Valley’s Emily Jackson (3rd in the discus).
A number of Heritage Conference athletes will advance to the state championships next week at Shippensburg.
RESULTS (With State Qualifiers);
(https://results.run.tf/meets/24991/winners)
At the WPIAL championships, Indiana’s Charlie Weber won the pole vault with a height of 14 feet 6 inches. Other Indiana boys state qualifiers included Jonathan Berzonsky in the 800 meters, the 1600 meter boys relay team, and Levi Porter in the triple jump.
Girls qualifiers included Indiana’s 1600 meter relay team.
