Spartans and Stormin’ Pointers split
CENTER POINT — The varsity boys split a doubleheader on the road at Center Point-Urbana (CPU) Thursday, June 9 winning the opener 13-12 over the Stormin’ Pointers, but falling 9-4 in the nightcap.
Both teams plated one runner in the first inning ahead of a six-run effort by CPU in the bottom of the third. Solon answered with two runs in the top of the fourth but watched CPU’s lead increase with three more runs in the fourth. The Spartans had a six-run inning of their own in the fifth but still trailed 10-9. One CPU run scored in the fifth making it 11-9. Four Solon runs in the seventh, while holding CPU to just one gave the Spartans the 13-12 winning edge.
Logan Gruchow and Michael Pipolo led Solon at the plate with two hits apiece (including a double for each and two RBIs for Gruchow). Blake Timmons, Kinnick Pusteoska, and Jackson Link had one hit each with two RBIs for Pusteoska. Brick Kabela took the win with 4-1/3 innings on the mound. Kabela gave up seven hits and seven runs (three earned), walked five, and struck out four. Timmons pitched two innings giving up three hits and five runs (four earned), walking three and striking out two. Brett White worked 2/3 of an inning with one strikeout, no hits, and no runs.
Solon struck first in game two with a pair of runs in the top of the second. However, CPU scored four in the bottom of the inning and added one more in the fourth for a 5-2 lead. The Spartans’ final two runs came in the fifth, but four more CPU runs went up in the sixth for the 9-4 loss.
Timmons and Tyson Wheeler produced two hits each with a double and a triple for Timmons. White, Gehrig Turner, and Pipolo had one hit each. Ty Bell was charged with the loss after four innings on the mound giving up six hits, five runs (two earned), walking three, and striking out three. Nolan Seagren spent one inning on the bump giving up no hits, one earned run, and walking one. Austin Bell pitched 2/3 of an inning with no hits and one walk, and Wheeler pitched 1/3 of an inning giving up three hits, three earned runs, and walking one.
Solon dipped to 9-11 while CPU improved to 10-5.