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Softball: Lady Vikes lose by 10-run rule to Manchester
BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS
Sports Editor, RTC
Track
Culver Academy 75, Tippecanoe Valley 47, Caston 26 (girls, Tuesday)
Culver Academy 72, Tippecanoe Valley 60, Caston 29 (boys, Tuesday)
Valley junior Rex Kirchenstien broke a pair of 35-year-old school records and shared a third with his 4 x 100 relay teammates as the team finished second in a three-way meet against visiting Culver Academy and Caston at Smith-Bibler Memorial Stadium – Home of Death Valley Football Tuesday.
Kirchenstien’s time of 10.66 seconds in the 100 meters and 22.94 seconds in the 200 broke school records set by Andrew Wood in 1986. However, Kirchenstien had to settle for second place in both races. George Bourdier, a Culver Academy junior who hails from New Iberia, La., won the 100 in 10.5 seconds and the 200 in 22.1 seconds.
Kirchenstien also teamed with Braden Shepherd, Jamasyn Virgil and Wade Jones to run a 44.50 in the relay. That broke a record they had set just four days earlier at the North Miami Relays when they had run a 44.7.
In addition to Kirchenstien, the other Valley individual event winner was Wade Melanson, who won the shot put with a heave of 48-3.
In the girls meet, the lone Valley individual winner was Chesnee Miller in the 3,200. She also set a personal best in the long jump with a winning leap of 15-4. Miller accounted for 12 of the team’s 47 points by herself.
Also, Erika Henderson won the 300 hurdles in 56.94 seconds.
Rex Kirchenstien broke the Valley school records in both the 100 and 200 meters during a three-way meet against Culver Academy and Caston Tuesday. Kirchenstien is also a member of the Valley 4 x 100 relay team that broke the school record twice in a four-day span. Valley set the most recent mark with a 44.5 on Tuesday. Braden Shepherd, Jamasyn Virgil and Wade Jones join him on the team.
GIRLS RESULTS: CULVER ACADEMY 75, TIPPECANOE VALLEY 47, CASTON 26
Scoring on 5-3-2-1 basis for individual events and 5-3 basis for relays
Winners plus all Valley scorers
100 m
1. Figueroa (CGA) – 12.28 seconds, 4. Molly Moriarty (TV) – 14.06
200 m
1. Hazen (CGA) – 27.03 seconds, 3. Ava Smith (TV) – 28.13
400 m
1. Bialek (CGA) – 1:01.12, 3. Delaney Wagoner (TV) – 1:07.19, 4. Shaylin Wilcox (TV) – 1:13.9
800 m
1. Allen (CGA) – 2:18.9, 4. Delaney Wagoner (TV) – 3:05
1,600 m
1. Allen (CGA) – 5:21, 3. Chesnee Miller (TV) – 5:53
3,200 m
1. Chesnee Miller (TV) – 13:28, 3. Maria Henderson (TV) – 16:50
100 m hurdles
1. Stinson (CAS) – 19.27 seconds, 2. Erika Henderson (TV) – 19.38
300 m hurdles
1. Erika Henderson (TV) – 56.9 seconds
4 x 100 m relay
1. Culver Academy – 52.7 seconds, 2. Valley – 55.6, 3. Caston – 58.9
4 x 400 m relay
1. Culver Academy – 4:28, 2. Caston – 5:01
4 x 800 m relay
1. Culver Academy – 11:24, 2. Valley – 12:38, 3. Caston – 13:46
Long jump
1. Chesnee Miller (TV) – 15-4, 4. Molly Moriarty (TV) – 12-5
High jump
1. Spiller (CGA) – 5-1, 2. Sidney Wagner (TV) – 4-8, 3. Ava Smith (TV) – 4-2
Discus
1. Miller (CGA) – 97-8, 2. Chloe Shepherd (TV) – 81-11 1/2, 3. Mallory Durkes (TV) – 75-2
Shot put
1. Littlejohn (CGA) – 35-1, 3. Mallory Durkes (TV) – 29-3, 4. Chloe Shepherd (TV) – 28-0 ½
NOTE: The pole vault was not contested.
BOYS RESULTS: CULVER ACADEMY 72, TIPPECANOE VALLEY 60, CASTON 29
Scoring on 5-3-2-1 basis for individual events and 5-3 basis for relays
Winners plus all Valley scorers
100 m
1. Bourdier (CMA) – 10.5 seconds, 2. Rex Kirchenstien (TV) – 10.66, 3. Braden Shepherd (TV) – 11.13
200 m
1. Bourdier (CMA) – 22.12 seconds, 2. Rex Kirchenstien (TV) – 22.94, 4. Jamasyn Virgil (TV) – 23.5
400 m
1. Galas (CMA) – 55.8 seconds, 2. Alek Mikel (TV) – 56.2, 4. Nathan Parker (TV) – 59.2
800 m
1. Long (CMA) – 2:07.6, 4. Jaxon Seaney (TV) – 2:22
1,600 m
1. Miller (CMA) – 4:53, 4. Matthew Howes (TV) – 5:16
3,200 m
1. Dague (CAS) – 10:45, 3. Jace Holloway (TV) – 13:25
110 m hurdles
1. Mull (CMA) – 15.94 seconds, 3. Benton Nellans (TV) – 18.90, 4. Brason Smith (TV) – 19.00
300 m hurdles
1. Evans (CAS) – 43.4 seconds, 2. Benton Nellans (TV) – 47.2, 3. Austin Butler (TV) – 50.0
4 x 100 m relay
1. Valley – 44.5 seconds, 2. Culver Academy – 44.65, 3. Caston – 51.5
4 x 400 m relay
1. Valley – 3:39.2, 2. Culver Academy – 3:41.5, 3. Caston – 4:02.1
Long jump
1. Fayemi (CMA) – 19-5, 2. Braden Shepherd (TV) – 18-8, 4. Alek Mikel (TV) – 17-3 ½
High jump
1. Fayemi (CMA) – 6-0, 2. Dawson Perkins (TV) – 6-0, 3. Burke (TV) – 5-4
Discus
1. Martindale (CAS) – 122-8 ½, 2. Dalton Alber (TV) – 95-7, 3. Brandt Alber (TV) – 93-5
Shot put
1. Wade Melanson (TV) – 48-3, 2. Dalton Alber (TV) – 40-6 ½
Pole vault
1. Salyer (CMA) – 10-0
Softball
Manchester 17, Tippecanoe Valley 1 (5 innings, Monday): Macy Kirchenstien went 2 for 2, and Mercedes Snapp drove in the lone Valley run in the fifth in a Three Rivers Conference home loss to Manchester Monday.
Madi Smith and Molly Moriarty also had hits.
Torina Runkel had four hits, including a homer, and six RBIs for Manchester.
The Lady Squires scored eight times in the second inning off Kirchenstien to build a 9-0 lead. Kirchenstien allowed 13 runs in 2 ⅓ innings. Corinna Stiles allowed four runs in 2 ⅔ innings.
Valley fell to 0-2 in the TRC.
Manchester 17, Valley 1 (5 innings)
Manchester 184 40 – 17 16 0
Valley 000 01 – 1 4 1
WP – Howard (3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K)
LP – Macy Kirchenstien (2 ⅓ IP, 11 H, 13 R, 13 ER, 4 BB, 2 K)
2B – Runkel (MAN), Howard (MAN), Isley (MAN), Madi Smith (TV)
HR – Runkel (MAN)
Adams Central 10-18, Valley 0-7 (Saturday): The Valley softball team lost a doubleheader to visiting Adams Central Saturday, losing the first game 10-0 in five innings and the second game 18-7 in five innings.
Brittany Benn, Molly Moriarty and Abby Bowers each singled in Game 1. Brayden Baney walked twice.
Bowers started and took the loss in the circle. She allowed seven hits and eight runs (all earned) in one inning. She walked two and struck out none.
Kirchenstien allowed two runs in four innings of relief.
Adams Central scored eight runs in the top of the second inning.
In Game 2, Moriarty homered, and Corinna Stiles had a double, a triple and an RBI. Benn had two hits and two RBIs. Bowers had a hit and an RBI.
Stiles allowed 13 runs (five earned) in 4 ⅓ innings. She walked five and struck out five. Kirchenstien allowed four hits and five earned runs in ⅔ inning of relief.
Game 1: Adams Central 10, Valley 0 (5 innings)
Adams Central 080 11 – 10
Valley 000 00 – 0
WP – Hill
LP – Abby Bowers (1 IP, 7 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 2 BB, 0 K)
XBH – (none)
Game 2: Adams Central 18, Valley 7 (5 innings)
(linescore not made available to RTC)
2B – Corinna Stiles (TV)
3B – Corinna Stiles (TV)
HR – Molly Moriarty (TV)
Valley 21-17, John Glenn 3-1 (April 17): The Valley softball team swept a doubleheader from John Glenn April 17, winning the first game 21-3 in five innings and the second game 17-1 in six innings.
In the first game, nine different Valley players had hits, and eight different players had at least one RBI. Madi Smith homered twice, drove in five runs and scored five times. Corinna Stiles had two hits and four RBIs, and Abby Bowers had three hits and three RBIs. Molly Moriarty had three hits and two RBIs.
Mercedes Snapp, Brayden Baney, Macy Kirchenstien and Kayleena Agnew each had two hits. Brittany Benn also had a single.
Valley scored nine runs in the top of the first and never trailed. They also scored seven in the fifth.
Kirchenstien pitched a six-hitter with four strikeouts. She allowed one earned run.
In Game 2, Baney had a single, a homer and four RBIs, and Stiles had three hits and an RBI. Kirchenstien also had three hits. Benn, Moriarty and Agnew had two hits each. Bowers had a triple and three RBIs. Kayle Long had a hit and an RBI, and Smith also had an RBI.
Already leading 8-1, Valley scored nine runs in the top of the sixth.
Stiles pitched a five-hitter with seven strikeouts. The lone run she allowed was unearned.
Game 1: Valley 21, John Glenn 3 (5 innings)
Valley 903 27 – 21
John Glenn 201 00 – 3
WP – Macy Kirchenstien (5 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K)
2B – Brayden Baney (TV), Corinna Stiles (TV), Abby Bowers (TV)
3B – Brittany Benn (TV), Corinna Stiles (TV), Abby Bowers (TV)
HR – Madi Smith 2 (TV)
Game 2: Valley 17, John Glenn 1 (6 innings)
Valley 040 229 – 17
John Glenn 000 010 – 1
WP – Corinna Stiles (6 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K)
2B – Corinna Stiles (TV), Molly Moriarty (TV), Kayleena Agnew (TV)
3B – Abby Bowers (TV)
HR – Brayden Baney (TV)
Baseball
Wabash at Valley, ppd.: The Wabash-Valley baseball game scheduled for Wednesday was postponed to Friday due to rain. Game time is 5:30 p.m. at Valley.
Culver Academy 13, Valley 8 (Tuesday): Braxton Davis hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh, but Culver Academy went on to record a road win over Valley Tuesday despite their pitchers walking 13 batters.
Brendyn Stump, Damion Kohler, D.J. Estep and Annikan Pettit also had a hit for the Vikings.
Pettit also walked three times. Payton Mills, Noah Prater, Stump and Kohler walked twice each. Mills also had an RBI.
Stump allowed three hits five runs (four earned) in 3 ⅓ innings and took the loss. He walked two and struck out four. Mills allowed nine hits and eight runs in 3 ⅔ innings of relief. He walked one and struck out three.
Valley led 3-0 after two innings, but Culver Academy scored five times in the fourth to go ahead for good.
“Rough night for us last night,” Valley coach Jarred Littlejohn said in a statement. “We made some errors we usually don’t make, and our approaches at the plate weren’t good.”
Valley is 5-5.
Culver Academy 13, Valley 8
Culver Academy 002 521 3 – 13
Valley 030 011 3 – 8
WP – Boardman (3 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 7 BB, 6 K)
LP – Brendyn Stump (3 ⅓ IP, 3 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 4 K)
2B – Schmiedlin (CMA), Lasek (CMA), Grundberg (CMA), Posner (CMA)
HR – Braxton Davis (TV)
Valley 4, Manchester 0 (Monday): Owen Kirchenstien threw a five-hit shutout with 14 strikeouts and also had a double at the plate for Valley in a TRC home win over Manchester Monday.
Marcus Bernicky and Annikan Pettit also had doubles. Kirchenstien, Bernicky, Pettit and D.J. Estep each had an RBI.
Valley 4, Manchester 0
Manchester 000 000 0 – 0 5 2
Valley 101 002 X – 4 5 3
WP – Owen Kirchenstien (7 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 14 K)
LP – Foust (6 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 7 K)
2B – Marcus Bernicky (TV), Owen Kirchenstien (TV), Annikan Pettit (TV)
Valley 8, Jimtown 7 (first round, Saturday)
Heritage 4, Valley 2 (final, Saturday)
Valley went 1-1 at the Wawasee Invitational Saturday, edging Jimtown in the first round before falling to Heritage in the championship game.
Annikan Pettit, D.J. Estep and Rex Kirchenstien had two hits, and Payton Mills singled and drove in three runs. Brendyn Stump also had a hit. Pettit also had two RBIs, and Estep had an RBI.
Braxton Davis earned the win on the mound, allowing nine hits and five runs (three earned) in 4 ⅔ innings. He walked one and struck out two. Estep allowed no earned runs in 2 ⅓ innings of relief. He allowed one hit and walked two while striking out one.
In the championship game, Valley led 2-1 going into the top of the sixth when Heritage scored three times to take the lead for good. No Valley stats were made available to RTC for that game.
Heritage (9-0) had reached the championship game with a 13-2 win in six innings over Wawasee earlier Saturday. Jimtown defeated Wawasee 12-10 in the consolation game.
First round: Valley 8, Jimtown 7
Jimtown 201 020 2 – 7
Valley 203 210 X – 8
WP – Braxton Davis (4 ⅔ IP, 9 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K)
XBH – (none)
Final: Heritage 4, Valley 2
Heritage 010 003 0 – 4
Valley 002 000 0 – 2
Valley 11, Fairfield 1 (final, 5 innings, April 19): Annikan Pettit singled, doubled, homered and drove in five runs for the host Vikings in a rout of Fairfield April 19.
Brendyn Stump and Owen Kirchenstien each had a hit and an RBI. Hunter Craft had an RBI. Rex Kirchenstien contributed a triple.
Fairfield pitchers walked eight.
Marcus Bernicky pitched a five-hitter with three walks and five strikeouts.
Valley scored twice in the first inning and never trailed. Pettit hit a grand slam in the second that gave Valley a 6-0 lead.
Already leading 7-1, they scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth to end the game.
Valley was coming off losses to South Bend Adams Friday and Bremen Saturday.
“It’s a big win,” Valley coach Jarred Littlejohn said. “We needed it. We talked about it before the game that we wanted to bounce back into the win column. We dropped one Friday night and dropped another one Saturday. That’s not what we’re looking for, and we’ve got to play better baseball, and tonight, I thought we did.”
Littlejohn said it wasn’t just one player who stood out. He also said an early lead made things easier for Bernicky, who was making his first start.
“A lot of guys,” Littlejohn said. “That’s what we talked about, a better approach at the plate, being aggressive, looking to hit early, getting off to a good lead. That helps a lot. When a pitcher is pitching with a lead … a lot of confidence.”
Valley 11, Fairfield 1 (5 innings)
Fairfield 000 10 – 1 5 2
Valley 241 04 – 11 6 0
WP – Marcus Bernicky (5 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 5 K)
LP – Garrison (2 IP, 4 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, 1 K)
2B – Brendyn Stump (TV), Annikan Pettit (TV)
3B – Rex Kirchenstien (TV)
HR – Annikan Pettit (TV)
Bremen 4, Valley 2 (April 17): Marcus Bernicky and Noah Prater each had a hit and an RBI, and Rex Kirchenstien also singled for the Vikings in a road loss to Bremen April 17.
Rex Kirchentien and Owen Kirchenstien each scored a run.
Brendyn Stump started and took the loss despite not allowing an earned run in four innings. He allowed four hits and walked three while striking out three. Rex Kirchsntien allowed one run in two innings of relief.
Logan Hite got the win for Bremen despite walking six in 5 ⅓ innings.
Bremen led 3-0 after two innings.
Bremen 4, Valley 2
Valley 000 002 0 – 2
Bremen 120 001 X – 4
WP – Hite (5 ⅓ IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 6 BB, 5 K)
LP – Brendyn Stump (4 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 3 K)
2B – Burkholder (BRE)
South Bend Adams 12, Valley 3 (April 16): Annikan Pettit had two doubles and an RBI, and Owen Kirchentien and D.J. Estep each had a hit and an RBI for Valley in a home loss to South Bend Adams April 16.
Valley hitters drew five walks but also struck out 16 times.
Braxton Davis took the loss, allowing eight runs (four earned) in 4 ⅓ innings. He allowed five hits, walked five and struck out three. Damion Kohler allowed four earned runs in one inning, and Marcus Bernicky pitched 1 ⅔ scoreless innings.
South Bend Adams scored three runs in the top of the second to take the lead for good. Leading 6-3 after four innings, they scored two in the fifth and four in the seventh.
“Eight errors and 10 runners left on base isn’t going to win us many baseball games,” Valley coach Jarred Littlejohn said in a statement. “But that aside, we still made a lot of good plays, and the score doesn’t show how good of a baseball game this was.”
South Bend Adams 12, Valley 3
SB Adams 031 220 4 – 12
Valley 101 100 0 – 3
LP – Braxton Davis (4 ⅓ IP, 5 H, 8 R, 4 ER, 5 BB, 3 K)
2B – Annikan Pettit 2 (TV), D.J. Estep (TV)
Valley 6, Warsaw 3 (April 14): Noah Prater had three RBIs, Marcus Bernicky had two RBIs, and Brendyn Stump had an RBI for Valley in a home win over Warsaw April 14.
Rex Kirchenstien had two triples.
Owen Kirchenstien allowed two runs over five innings for the win. D.J. Estep allowed one run over the final two innings for the save.
“Owen Kirchenstien had another great night on the mound,” Valley coach Jarred Littlejohn said. “Got off to a rough start with Warsaw scoring two in the top of the first. But Owen settled in and threw a really good four innings after that.”
Valley 6, Warsaw 3
Warsaw 200 001 0 – 3 4 1
Valley 013 020 X – 6 7 1
WP – Owen Kirchenstien
3B – Rex Kirchenstien 2 (TV)
Girls tennis
Peru 5, Valley 0 (Tuesday): Valley lost all five matches in straight sets in a TRC road loss to Peru Tuesday. Valley won four games in the five matches combined.
Hannah Parson, Hannah Engstrand and Peyton Oldham lost in singles. Mackenzie Costello and Kaitlin Neese and Bri Feldman and Kaydence Shepherd lost in doubles.
Valley won the JV match 3-2.
RESULTS: PERU 5, VALLEY 0
Singles
Hannah Parson (TV) lost 6-0, 6-0.
Hannah Engstrand (TV) lost 6-0, 6-0.
Peyton Oldham (TV) lost 6-2, 6-0.
Doubles
Mackenzie Costello-Kaitlin Neese (TV) lost 6-0, 6-1.
Bri Feldman-Kaydence Shepherd (TV) lost 6-0, 6-1.
JV RESULTS: VALLEY 3, PERU 2
Singles
Lydia Miller (TV) won 8-0.
Sydney Mills (TV) won 8-0.
Doubles
Jada Hicks-Andie Sweneger (TV) lost 9-7.
Lily Ault-Talia Holder (TV) won 8-2.
Kylee Trepanier-Madelyn Weaver (TV) lost 6-4.
Bremen tournament canceled (Saturday): The Bremen girls tennis tournament scheduled for Saturday was canceled due to rain. Valley was among the teams scheduled to compete.
Whitko 5, Valley 0 (Thursday): Though Hannah Engstrand won a set at No. 2 singles and Mackenzie Costello and Kaitlin Neese won a set at No. 1 doubles, the visiting Lady Vikings lost their TRC opener to Whitko Thursday.
Hannah Parson lost in straight sets at No. 1 singles, and Peyton Oldham lost in straight sets at No. 3 singles.
Costello and Neese lost in a third-set tiebreak. Bri Feldman and Kaydence Shepherd lost 6-4, 6-4 at No. 2 doubles.
Valley won the JV match 4-1.
RESULTS: WHITKO 5, VALLEY 0
Singles
Kylie Fugett (WHI) def. Hannah Parson (TV), 7-5, 6-3
Abbi Frank (WHI) def. Hannah Engstrand (TV), 3-6, 6-2, 6-1
Anna Arter (WHI) def. Peyton Oldham (TV), 6-2, 6-2
Doubles
Danielle Schuman-Jaycie Thomas (WHI) def. Mackenzie Costello-Kaitlin Neese (TV), 1-6, 6-3, (10-8)
Abby Arter-Morgan Dych (WHI) def. Bri Feldman-Kaydence Shepherd (TV), 6-4, 6-4
JV RESULTS: VALLEY 4, WHITKO 1
Singles
Lydia Miller (TV) def. Jessica Ness (WHI), 8-1
Jessica Ness (WHI) def. Sydney Mills (TV), 6-2
Talia Holder (TV) def. Zoe Fouts (WHI), 8-3
Lily Ault (TV) def. Jayda Gregory (WHI), 6-0
Doubles
Jada Hicks-Andie Sweneger (TV) def. Zoe Fouts-Jayda Gregory (WHI), 8-0
Boys golf
Valley shoots 381, takes 7th at Whitko Invite (Saturday): The Valley boys golf team shot a 381 and finished seventh out of nine teams at the Whitko Invitational at Sycamore Golf Club in North Manchester.
Northridge won the tournament with a 321. Runner-up Triton finished four strokes back.
Greg Miller led Valley with a 73 and finished third out of 45 individuals. Mason Purvis added a 98, Branson McBrier and Eli Love had a 105, and Johnny Gonsalez had a 114.
Triton’s Cole McKinney shot a 70 to claim medalist honors.
at Sycamore Golf Club, North Manchester, Saturday
Northridge 321, Triton 325, John Glenn 357, Whitko 362, Fairfield 376, Northfield 378, Valley 381, Manchester 396, West Noble 398
VALLEY (381): Greg Miller 73, Mason Purvus 98, Branson McBrier 105, Eli Love 105, (Johnny Gonsalez 114)
