The Press-Dispatch
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The Press-Dispatch Wednesday, May 31, 2017 B-1 SPORTS Submit sports items: Call: 812-354-8500 Email: sports@pressdispatch.net or bring in a hard copy: 820 E. Poplar Street, Petersburg By Ed Cahill Press-Dispatch Sports Editor sports@pressdispatch.net The Princeton High School baseball team scored four runs in the sixth inning to erase a 3- 0 deficit as the Tigers defeated Pike Central 5 -4 in the semifinals of the sectional tournament on Monday, May 29, at Jasper's Ruxer Field. Chargers senior Colton White – who retired the first nine batters he faced and held Princeton hit- less through the first four innings – took the loss despite allowing only two earned runs on six hits while striking out five. "He deserved a better fate today, but what do you do? " said Pike Central head coach Josh Mc- Donald, whose team ended the season with a won- loss record of 12-13. "He did great. He made the pitches. He might have missed his spot once or twice. He battled. He was excellent." A fter Princeton junior Heath Rumple retired the side in order in the first inning, Chargers soph- omore catcher Brennon Benton led off the second inning with a double and advanced to third base when – one out later – sophomore third baseman Joey Church reached on an error. With runners on the corners, Pike Central sophomore second baseman Race Britton laid down a sacrifice bunt, which Tigers junior catch- er Trevor Boyle fielded and threw to first base to retire Britton. However, Benton raced home and beat the return throw from senior first baseman Jaylan Hyneman to give the Chargers a 1-0 lead. Senior right fielder Jacob Marchino followed with a double to score Church, extending Pike Central's lead to 2-0. The Chargers added another run in the third inning when sophomore designated hitter Brax- ton Rice – batting with one out and the bases load- ed – hit into a force-out at second base as White scored from third. White, who hit Boyle with a pitch to start the fourth inning, surrendered his first hit when Hyneman led off the fifth inning with a single. Hyneman subsequently moved up to second base on a grounder by junior rightfielder Corbin Wilkerson and took third when senior leftfielder Trevor Watt singled to centerfield. However, after Watt advanced to second on a wild pitch that Benton blocked in front of the plate, White struck out Bustos and retired junior short- stop Rylin Stough on a pop-up to Pike Central se- nior shortstop Chase Davis to end the inning. Lady Chargers' Pancake places 10th in pole vault at regional meet Boyd, Kirby tie for 5th in pole vault at regional meet PRINCETON RALLIES FOR 5-4 VICTORY OVER CHARGERS IN SECTIONAL SEMIFINALS Pike Central High School sophomore Lillie Pancake (left) and junior Taylor Deffendoll (right) represented Pike Cen- tral High School at the region- al girls' track and field meet on Tuesday, May 23, at Evansville Central. Pancake placed 10th in pole vault with a personal re- cord leap of 8 feet, 6 inches. Deffendoll tied for 14th in high jump with a leap of 4 feet, 8 inches. Andy Heuring photo Pike Central High School senior shortstop Chase Davis swings at the ball during sec- tional game action against Princeton on Monday, May 29, at Jasper's Ruxer Field. Ed Cahill photo Pike Central High School sophomore catcher Brennon Benton looks toward the dugout before signaling for the first pitch from senior pitcher Colton White (not pictured) during sectional game ac- tion against Princeton on Monday, May 29, at Jasper's Ruxer Field. Ed Cahill pho- to Pike Central High School senior pitch- er Colton White attempts to pick a run- ner off at first base during sectional game action against Princeton on Mon- day, May 29, at Jasper's Ruxer Field. Ed Cahill photo Above: Pike Central High School sophomore catcher Brennon Ben- ton (left) slides safely into home as Princeton junior catcher Trevor Boyle (right) attempts to tag him out during sectional game action against Princeton on Monday, May 29, at Jasper's Ruxer Field. Benton scored on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore second baseman Race Britton to give the Chargers a 1-0 lead. Ed Cahill photo Left: Pike Central High School sophomore second baseman Race Britton lays down a sacrifice bunt during sectional game action against Princeton on Monday, May 29, at Jasper's Ruxer Field. Britton's bunt scored sophomore catcher Brennon Benton from third base to give the Chargers a 1-0 lead. Ed Cahill photo See SECTIONAL on page 2 By Ed Cahill Press-Dispatch Sports Editor sports@pressdispatch.net Pike Central High School junior Gavin Boyd and freshman Tyler Kirby tied for fifth place in pole vault during the regional boys' track and field meet on Thursday, May 25, at Evans- ville Central. A fter passing on the opening height of 11 feet, 6 inches, both Boyd and Kir- by cleared 12 feet and then 12 feet, 6 inches on their first attempts before being eliminated at 13 feet. Also tying for fifth place were New Albany junior Travis Miller and Floyd Central sophomore Devin Montgomery. Floyd Cen- tral senior Kyle Zeineman won the event with a leap of 15 feet, 2 inches. "Gavin and Tyler were both nervous," Chargers assistant coach Eric Knight said. "For Tyler, this was his first time at regionals and first time jumping in front of a very big crowd. I could tell it was getting to him. He started the meet off blowing through his normal pole, so he had to switch to a bigger pole when it started. I be- lieve that got him a little." "I was still very proud and excited for him to do what he did this year and make it this far as a fresh- man," Knight added. "Tyler is a very coachable kid and wants to learn. I see great things coming from him." Boyd, meanwhile, al- so blew through his nor- mal pole during warm-ups, Knight said. "He grabbed his big pole that he had not jumped with yet – he'd never landed on the mat with it," Knight said. "But adrenaline kicked in and he jumped great with it. He cleared 12 feet by three feet." "I was proud of Gavin and also excited that he can hit that pole now," Knight add- ed. "This kid has the poten- tial to jump big heights and also has the work ethic to get him there." In addition, senior Jar- ed McCord placed 16th during preliminaries in the 110 -meter hurdles with a time of 17.46 seconds and 15th in preliminaries for the 300 -meter hurdles with a time of 46.45 seconds. McCord also competed in high jump but did not place after failing to clear the opening height of 5 feet, 10 inches, and he teamed up with Boyd, Kirby and fresh- man Sam Theising to place 14th in the 400 -meter re- lay with a time of 51.31 sec- onds. "We will definitely be missing Jared due to him graduating, but we have a lot of young guys willing to work hard, and that usu- ally goes a long way," Pike Central head coach Chris Kramer said. "Jared is prob- ably one of the most accom- plished athletes to come from Pike Central with the Deffendoll ties for 14th in high jump By Ed Cahill Press-Dispatch Sports Editor sports@pressdispatch.net Pike Central High School sopho- more Lillie Pancake placed 10th in pole vault while junior Taylor Deffendoll tied for 14th in high jump during the regional girls' track and field meet at Evansville Central on Tuesday, May 23. Pancake, one of 22 competitors in pole vault, tied her personal record leap by clearing 8 feet on her first attempt, then set a new PR by clearing 8 feet, 6 inches, on her third – and final – try at that height before missing all three of tries with the crossbar set at 9 feet. "She worked very hard all year to get to that," Lady Chargers assistant coach Eric Knight said. "As a sopho- more, she did an excellent job. She was a tad nervous – before the meet start- ed, her hands were shaking. Jumping at that track, with that many competi- tors, is always nerve-wracking." "We will jump some over the sum- mer and work on a few things and be ready for it again next year," Knight added. "Lillie is competitive and knows what she needs to work on. So, as a coach, I know she will push herself to the heights she wants." Castle junior Maddie Wilson placed first in pole vault with a leap of 10 feet, 6 inches, and Evansville North junior Claudia Eder and Evansville Memorial sophomore Ellen Hayhurst placed sec- ond and third, respectively, with leaps of 10 feet. Deffendoll, meanwhile, cleared her second attempt at the starting height of 4 feet, 6 inches, and was successful on her first try at 4 feet, 8 inches, be- fore missing three attempts at 4 feet, 10 inches. Deffendoll, one of 27 competitors in high jump, tied Castle freshman Sara Purdue, New Albany senior Erin Tor- res and Shoals freshman Maggie Shaw for 14th. Crawford County freshman Haylea Crandall placed first in high jump with a leap of 5 feet, 6 inches, and Floyd Cen- tral freshman Spence Freiberger and Evansville North junior Claudia Eder placed second and third, respectively, with leaps of 5 feet, 2 inches. "I am extremely proud of both girls," Lady Chargers head coach Ryne Bies- terveld said. "Taylor finished about in the middle, and if she continues to work I have no doubt she will be back next year. Lillie jumped her personal best at regional, which is one of the best meets to do that." "Both girls competed well but, more than that, they are both model athletes representing our school and county very well," Biesterveld added. "They are both fine young ladies and wonder- ful role models for younger girls." Wood Memorial senior Chloe Bart- ley placed third out of 16 competitors in the 800 -meter run with a personal re- cord time of 2:21.37 to advance to the state finals, which will be held on Satur- day, June 3, at Indiana University's Rob- ert C. Haugh Track and Field Complex. In addition, South Knox freshman MaKayla Couchenour placed ninth in the 800 -meter run with a time of 2:26.11, while Wood Memorial junior Lexi Lashbrook tied for 19th in high jump with a leap of 4 feet, 8 inches. See REGIONAL on 3