Sports

Altamont city council members Monday heard from supporters of pickleball and establishment of a pickleball court in the city. There is a court that is shared by those who play pickeleball, tennis and other activities in what is known as Nori's Yard by Frog Pond Nursery School. Sharon Harper was...

Davis 3-5 2 RBIs, Robbins 1-3 HR 2 RBIs, Eli Miller 3-3 2 RBIs, Arnold 1-2 1 RBI, Berg 1-1 1 RBI. Gavin Meinhart 2-3 1 RBI, Max Meinhart 1-3, Bierman 1-3 Losing Pitcher Barthelme 2.2 innings 8 hits 3 earned runs 2 bb 1 k. Teutopolis defeated Mt. Vernon...

With the IHSA baseball postseason kicks off today, four I70Sports area teams are in action today and another two on Wednesday and the last area team playing their first postseason game on Thursday. In Class 2A, the #9 seed Vandals will get to host their quarterfinal game of the Teutopolis...

Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City baseball used a huge second inning offensive burst and a no-hit performance from Clayton Wojcik on the mound to get a big 15-0 shutout of Tri-County in the quarterfinals of the Casey-Westfield 1A Regional in Casey on Wednesday. After a scoreless first inning for both teams and CHBC holding Tri-County to just one baserunner in the top of the second, the Bobcats offense jumped in action right from the leadoff hitter in the bottom of the second with a consistent barrage of singles with a few drawn walks sprinkled in as they were able to put 11 runs on the board in the inning. Another two runs in the bottom of the third and a pair in the bottom of the fourth allowed the Bobcats to reach the 15-run lead threshold with just one out in the bottom of the fourth to close out the game by run rule for the 15-0 win. CHBC is now 9-13 on the season and advances to the semifinals where they will face a familiar opponent on Thursday in fellow National Trail Conference team Windsor/Stew-Stras. The two teams met just a little under two weeks ago with the Hatchets taking that game, 8-1. The Bobcats will look to get some revenge in the semifinal game today at 4:30pm at Casey-Westfield High School.

The Mulberry Grove Aces baseball team rallied in the quarterfinal game of the regional Monday, to grab a 6-5 win over Bunker Hill and advance to the semifinals. The Aces trailed 3-0 in the fifth, then scored twice when Carter Scoggins singled and Aiden Walker doubled for RBIs. Mulberry Grove came up with four runs in the bottom of the sixth. Jackson Icenogle cracked a two-run double, Logan Bauer scored and Scoggins delivered another run-scoring hit to make it 6-3. Bunker Hill came up with two runs in the seventh, but the Aces held on for the 6-5 victory. Collecting...

Mulberry Grove softball tacked on one more regular season game before beginning postseason play and got a 13-0 shutout win over Woodlawn on Monday. A two-run first inning kicked off the scoring for the Aces and they were able to score three more runs in the second and two in the third inning for a 7-0 lead. They would really bust the game open in the bottom of the fourth inning, putting together a two out rally. After drawing five walks to score a pair of runs, a Micah Greenwood double brought in three runs and a single from Taylor Stone scored another to put the Aces on top 13-0. Woodlawn was able to get their leadoff hitter aboard in the top of the fifth and singled to get a second runner on, but the Aces were able to hold onto the shutout for the 13-0 win. Mulberry Grove is 16-8 on the season and will open up postseason play on Wednesday at Nokomis at 4:30pm.

The Altamont Indians used the power of the long ball, blasting four home runs in a 11-2 win over Okaw Valley in the second semifinal game of the South Central 1A Sectional on Wednesday in Kinmundy. The first long ball would come in the top of the first inning. Before that, a one out double from Dillan Elam and an advancement on a passed ball put Elam 90 feet from home. Nate Stuemke would hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score Elam for a 1-0 Indians lead before a solo home run from Keegan Schultz would put Altamont up 2-0. Okaw Valley was able to match the Indians with a pair of runs to tie the game up at 2-2 to end the first inning. That would be all the scoring the Timberwolves would do in the game. The Indians themselves would be held scoreless across the second, third and fourth innings, but started moving things again late in the game. Kade Milleville reached base on an error to lead off the top of the fifth and Kaden Davis laid down a bunt and also reached base on an error to put runners at first and second. Elam would then send a line drive over the left field fence for a 3-run home run that would break the tie and put the Indians up 5-2 with no outs in the inning. After a walk from Stuemke, two strikeouts and a groundout ended the inning. The Indians picked things back up in the top of the sixth inning with Eli Miller drawing a one out walk and Milleville hitting a double to center to put two runners in scoring position. Davis would then clear the bases, with a home run to left field to tack on three more runs and put Altamont up 8-2. After Okaw Valley went three up, three down in the bottom of the sixth inning, Altamont immediately scored to start the top of the seventh with a leadoff solo home run from Schultz, his second homer of the game, to edge the Indian lead to 9-2. Ethan Robbins singled to reach base before being caught out at second on a fielder’s choice that allowed Clayton Arnold to reach base. With two outs in the inning, E. Miller drew a walk before Milleville singled to centerfield to score Arnold and put Altamont up 10-2. E. Miller would then score on a passed ball as the Altamont lead grew to 11-2. That run would wrap up the Altamont scoring as a pop out ended the inning. After Okaw Valley singled to lead off the inning, the Indians would catch the runner stealing and then get a groundout and strikeout to close out the 11-2 win and earn their spot in the South Central 1A Sectional Championship game. Altamont is 28-9 on the season and will take on NTC rival South Central in the title game at 11:00am on Saturday morning at Lions Field in Kinmundy.

Vandalia baseball wrapped up the regular season with a 19-hit win over Flora, 17-14, on Saturday. The visiting Wolves were able to chase the Vandals starting pitcher from the game as they racked up six runs in the top of the first inning for a 6-0 lead. Vandalia responded in a big way in the bottom of the first to erase that deficit quickly. Leadoff hitter Kohnor Depew doubled to left field to be the Vandals first baserunner and Aydan Jones doubled with one out to score Depew. Jack Lewis singled to left field and Jones was able to score on an error by the left fielder as Vandalia cut the Flora lead to 6-2. Carson Lotz walked to put runners at first and second before Chase Cearlock singled to left field and an error on the left fielder allowed Lewis to score. Qwentyn Stombaugh followed up with a singled to left field to bring in Lotz and during the next at bat, Cearlock scored as Stombaugh stole second as the Vandals had cut the lead down to 6-5. Adam Buscher reached base on an error to bring in Stombaugh to tie the game up at 6-6. Back around to the top of the order, Depew walked and Andrew Kelly was hit by a pitch to load the bases bringing Jones to the plate and he drove the second pitch he saw over the centerfield fence for a grand slam to give Vandalia the lead 10-6. The Vandals held Flora scoreless in the top of the second and got back to work in the bottom half of the inning. Stombaugh hit a one out single and stole second before Ayden Carroll singled on a line drive to left field to score Stombaugh. A single by Buscher and Depew being hit by a pitch loaded the bases up for Kelly who singled to score Carroll. A single from Jones would score Buscher as the Vandals put up three runs in the inning for a 13-6 lead. Flora was able to get one run back in the top of the third inning to cut the Vandals lead to 13-7. After the Vandals went scoreless in the next two innings, Flora was able to again cut into the Vandals lead with a pair of fifth inning runs to trim the lead to 13-9. The Vandals offense kept coming in the bottom of the fifth, putting two runners on as Cearlock walked and Stombaugh singled. With two outs, Buscher singled to score Cearlock and Depew doubled to bring in both Stombaugh and Buscher. A single from Kelly brought in Depew before a pop out ended the inning as the Vandals had pushed their lead out to 17-9. The Wolves tried to put together a comeback in the top of the seventh inning, putting up five runs to cut the Vandals lead to 17-14, but Vandalia held off Flora to close out the 17-14 win. The Vandals would have four players (Depew, Jones, Stombaugh, Buscher) with three-hit games and senior Aydan Jones finished with 6 RBI in the win. Vandalia ends the regular season at 14-18 and will take on Cumberland at home at 4:30pm in their opening game of the Teutopolis 2A Regional.

There will again be an NTC team in the Super-Sectional. In the Sectional Semi-Finals today at Lion’s Field in Kinmundy, South Central defeated WSS, 3 to 2, and Altamont defeated Okaw Valley, 11 to 2, as the two rivals advance to play one another in the Sectional Championship Game on Saturday at 11 am.

It's hard to turn regular season success into postseason wins, a fact Altamont can now relate to. They lost 12-1 to Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg on Saturday. The result was an unpleasant reminder to Altamont of the 2-0 defeat they experienced in the pair's previous head-to-head fixture back in April. For Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg's part,...

Altamont baseball claimed its sixth Regional Championship title in program history and its first since 2019 with a 1-0 win over North Clay on Saturday in the North Clay 1A Regional. The game would prove to be a pure pitcher’s duel with each team only collecting three hits in the game. The Indians would get their first hit of the game in the bottom of the second inning on a leadoff single from Keegan Schultz and Kaidyn Miller would walk with one out but both runners were stranded on base in the inning. Clayton Arnold singled to lead off the fifth inning but his courtesy runner would be picked off to end the inning. With the game still scoreless in the sixth inning, Altamont would finally break up the scoreless game in the bottom half of the inning with their third hit of the game as senior Nate Stuemke would hit a solo home run over the left field fence to give Altamont the 1-0 lead. The Indians then held the Cardinals scoreless in the top of the seventh inning for the 1-0 win to claim the Regional Championship. Senior Dillan Elam got the win on the mound, going all seven innings, allowing no runs on three hits with three walks and five strikeouts on just 98 pitches in the game. The Indians are now 27-9 on the season and advance to the South Central 1A Sectional where they will face off with Okaw Valley on Wednesday at 7:00pm at Lions Field in Kinmundy.

Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City softball is into the Regional Semifinals of the Casey-Westfield 1A Regional after a 12-2 win over Neoga on Tuesday. After their game was postponed from Monday, the Bobcats got off to a strong start after Neoga took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning putting up three runs of their own in the bottom of the first for a 3-1 lead. Neoga cut it to a one run game, 3-2, with a run in the top of third inning, but CHBC again responded. In the bottom of the third, the Bobcats put up seven runs to swing all momentum their way for a 10-2 lead. After scoreless fourth and fifth innings, CHBC would get two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to finish the 12-2 run rule win. CHBC is now 4-14 on the season and will have to take on top-seeded Casey-Westfield today at 4:30pm.

South Central and Altamont will be in a Sectional Semi-Final Doubleheader today at Lion’s Field in Kinmundy. South Central will play in the first game as they are coming off their win over top seed Edwards County to win the 17th Regional Title in program history on Saturday. South Central will take on Windsor/Stew-Stras in the Sectional Semi-Final today. The two teams met back on April 30th with WSS winning, 7 to 6. South Central is 17-13-1 coming into today’s game. Game One will begin at 2:30 pm.

Vandalia baseball added another walk-off win to their resume for the season, scoring a pair of seventh inning runs for a 3-2 win over Salem at home on Friday. Salem jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning taking advantage of a pair of leadoff walks and a double that brought both runners in. The Vandals got one of the runs back in the bottom of the first though to cut into the Salem lead. Kohnor Depew singled to lead off for the Vandals and Jack Lewis reached base on an error when he tried to sacrifice Depew over. With runners at first and third, Aydan Jones grounded into a fielder’s choice that brought Depew in as Vandalia cut it to a 2-1 ballgame. The Vandals would load the bases in the inning but a strikeout ended the Vandalia scoring threat. Salem would have just one hit over the next six innings, while the Vandals scattered a handful of hits as the score remained 2-1 with the Vandals trailing the Wildcats heading into the seventh inning. The Vandals would get the Wildcats out one, two, three on a ground out, a line out and a fly out to hold Salem and head to the bottom of the seventh. Kale Konrad would enter the game to lead-off the inning and singled to left field. Pinch runner Jackson Beall re-entered the game to run for Konrad and advanced to second on a passed ball. Adam Buscher sacrificed to move Beall to third before Depew singled to the pitcher to put runners at the corners. A groundout from Lewis would allow Beall to score and tie the game up 2-2. After Salem intentionally walked Jones to again put runners at the corners, Carson Lotz singled to left field to bring in Depew to give the Vandals the 3-2 walk-off win. Vandalia moves to 13-18 on the season.

Vandalia softball held strong for three innings, but a fourth inning struggle turned the tide as the Vandals lost to Greenville, 14-1, at Greenville University on Thursday. The Comets served as the visiting team for the game and got one run on the scoreboard in the top of the first inning for the early 1-0 lead. In the bottom half of the inning, a leadoff walk from Madison Lupton followed by a walk drawn by Bailey Denning put two runners on for Ollie Whitehead who roped a line drove single to center field that drove in Lupton to tie the game up at 1-1. Greenville would have an answer in the top of the second with a trio of runs to regain the lead and go up 4-1. The Vandals were held scoreless in the bottom of the second, but returned the favor and held the Comets scoreless on the top of the third. After a scoreless bottom of the third, all momentum in the game would swing the way of Greenville as the Comets would go through their order plus more as they would put 10 runs across the plate in the inning and run out to a 14-1 lead. The Vandals were held scoreless in the bottom of the fourth and fifth while holding Greenville scoreless in the top of the fifth as they fell 14-1 in five innings. The Lady Vandals drop to 0-23 on the season and will play their regular season at home today against Ramsey.

Vandalia softball got its first win of the season on Friday night with a 2-1 win over Ramsey in the regular season finale for both teams. Ramsey leadoff hitter Grace Eller walked to begin the game, but the next three Rams were sat down on a strikeout and two groundouts to end the top of the first inning. The Lady Vandals wasted no time getting on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first as leadoff hitter Madison Lupton sent the second pitch she saw over the left field fence for a solo home run and to give Vandalia a 1-0 lead. After getting their first out, the Vandals would see Ollie Whitehead reach base on a single to left field and Mady McCall walked before a double play ended the inning. The second would go by scoreless as it would be three up and three down for both the Vandals and Rams. Ramsey was again held to the minimum batters in the top of the third inning before the Vandals came to bat in the bottom half of the inning. With two outs, Bailey Denning walked and Whitehead reached base on an error. McCall followed up with a single to centerfield that Dennings scored on from second base to extend the Vandals lead to 2-0. In the top of the fourth inning, the Rams were able to get Olivia Carroll on base with a single and Macy Wright walked to put runners are first and second, but a strikeout and a groundout ended the Ramsey scoring threat. In the bottom of the fourth, the Lady Vandals got a leadoff single from Liah Hoyle, but she would be stranded after a pair of groundouts and a bunt out. Building on the previous inning, Ramsey put some offense together in the top of the fifth, with Rynn Hewitt leading the inning off with a double to left field, Melody Finley following that with a single and Kelli Cook walking to load the bases. After a strikeout and a pop out had the Rams looking at bases loaded with two outs, Carroll singled to center field to being in Hewitt and cut the Vandals lead to 2-1 with the bases still loaded. A foul pop out would end the Ramsey scoring threat, stranding three runners and ending the top of the fifth. Whitehead would reach base again on an error for the Vandals but she would be stranded on base to end the inning. Each team would again go three up, three down in the sixth inning as the Vandals continued to hold the 2-1 lead. Finley reach base on an error to lead things off for the Rams to start the seventh inning, but a line drive by Cook right at Vandalia first baseman Sierra Stewart would be caught and she doubled off Finley to put two outs on the board. A pop up by Eller to second base would be grabbed by Heather Sanchez as the Lady Vandals closed out their first win of the season. The Lady Vandals are 1-23 on the season and will begin postseason play on Monday at Litchfield at 4:30pm. Ramsey is now 4-17 on the season and will begin postseason play on Tuesday at 4:30 against Hardin (Calhoun) at Nokomis.

Altamont baseball got a Senior Night win on Friday, beating Shelbyville, 5-1, in their home finale. The Indians were able to grab an early lead in the bottom of the first inning as the #1 and #2 hitters, Kaden Davis and Dillan Elam both walked. After Davis and a wild pitch moved the runners to second and third, Nate Stuemke ground out to third to score Davis and put Altamont up 1-0. The 1-0 lead held until the bottom of the fourth inning when the Indians extended their lead. Much like the first inning, the lead-off hitter and the second batter of the inning, Clayton Arnold and Riley Berg, both walked to reach base. A single by Davis brought in Arnold and moved Berg to third base to have runners at the corners again. A sacrifice fly from Kade Milleville scored Berg and Altamont went up 3-0. The Indians sat the three straight Rams batters down in the top of the fifth and got back to work in the bottom of the inning. With two outs and runners at second and third, Berg hit a bases clearing single to left field to score both Kaidyn Miller and Eli Miller as the Indians lead grew to 5-0. Each team would go scoreless in the sixth inning as the Altamont lead held at 5-0 going into the seventh. Salem was able to break up the shutout and score one run with two outs before a strike out ended the game and Altamont closed out the 5-1 win. Altamont moves to 24-9 on the season and will begin postseason play on Wednesday as they face either Webber or Dieterich in the semifinals of the North Clay 1A Regional at 4:00pm.

The OPH track team took part in the Ellis Invite on Monday May 6th at Altamont. This was a huge meet with 14 teams in attendance. The boys team placed 12th out of 14 teams while our girls placed 9th out of 14 teams. For the boys, the 4×200 relay...