By THE HERALD-WHIG STAFF
The Payson Seymour baseball team took advantage of 10 walks and four errors to erase an early deficit and pick up a 17-3 victory over Liberty at home on Tuesday.
A run-scoring single by Jonny Clark and an RBI groundout by Justin Hankins in the top of the second gave Liberty a 2-0 lead before Payson responded with nine runs in the bottom of the inning.
The first four runners reached base before Cody Ash delivered a two-run single to left field to put Payson ahead 3-2. Justin Oberling added an RBI double, Curtis Stout had a two-run double and Dillon Waack smacked a two-run single off the left-field fence.
The Indians scored seven more runs in the fourth, highlighted by Shane Wellman's grand slam.
Jordan Cook relieved Stout in the second inning and picked up the victory. He allowed one run, five hits and five strikeouts.
Springfield Lanphier 11, QHS 5: The Blue Devils were able to get the lead-off hitter on in each of the first three innings, but they left seven runners on base and couldn't climb out of a 7-2 hole in a road loss.
Lanphier scored three runs in the first and added four in the second inning to hand Quincy (2-9) its seventh straight loss.
Quincy's Andrew Feyerabend had two extra-base hits -- a double and solo home run -- while Levi Lockett added a solo home run. Kevin Wolf (0-2) suffered the loss, allowing seven runs in three innings.
Illini West 3, West Prairie 0: A huge overall performance by sophomore Michael Lafferty was all the Chargers needed to grab the West Central Conference win on the road.
The left-handed starter tossed a three-hit, complete-game shutout, striking out eight to improve to 3-1 on the year.
Lafferty also contributed at the plate, smacking a two-run homer in the second and then adding a sacrifice fly in the fifth.
"He just works ahead and does a great job spotting the ball," Illini West head coach Todd Porter said of Lafferty.
"Then at the plate, any power we get is a plus because he hits in the second spot. He is really playing well right now."
Britton Elliott added a double for Illini West (9-4 overall, 2-1 WCC), which was limited to only four hits.
North Shelby 10, Linn County 1: The Raiders filled every stat line imaginable, scoring in every inning following the first to cruise to a win at home.
North Shelby's Josh McEwen went 3 for 4 with a home run, two RBI and three steals, while teammate B.R. Parsons had two doubles and four stolen bases. The Raiders (2-2) stole 20 bases as a team.
Starting pitcher Michael Stoneburner (1-0) overpowered the Mustangs, striking out 15.
Mark Twain 8, Palmyra 2: A bases-loaded single by Zack McClelland in the top of the fifth sparked a five-run inning, which proved to be enough for the Tigers to escape with the Clarence Cannon Conference win on the road.
With the bases jammed in the fifth and Mark Twain (4-2 overall, 1-0 CCC) leading 1-0, John Pryor singled to drive in two. Following a sacrifice fly, Matthew Hardy singled to cap the inning with the Tigers leading 6-0.
Catcher Skylar Jameson hit a two-run double in the top of the seventh to go up 8-0, before Palmyra got on the board with two in the bottom half.
Jacob Lewton (3-1) went the distance striking out six to grab the win for the Tigers. Jeremy Hultz suffered the loss for Palmyra, striking out seven.
South Shelby 11, Monroe City 1: A three-run homer from Justin Wilt in the bottom of the fifth inning sent the Cardinals home early, as the home team did all its damage in the final two innings of the Clarence Cannon Conference contest.
Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the fourth, South Shelby (4-1 overall, 1-0 CCC) jumped on Panthers' starting pitcher Tyler Adams for five runs in the fourth and six in the fifth.
Brent Fohey finished with a 2-for-2 night for the Cardinals, while Matt Patterson added two hits.
Knox County 7, Schuyler County 4: The Eagles scored early and held off the Rams for the home win. Knox County scored in innings two through six to hold off Schuyler County.
Daniel McMahon struck out 10 for the Eagles, who got two hits each from Dillon Morgret, Brett Bryant and Zach Parrish.
Unity 12, Western 7: The Mustangs held off a late charge from the Wildcats to get the road win.
Unity (5-4) got a triple from Andrew Abbott while brother Josh Abbott went 2 for 3 with 4 RBI. Chase Hildebrand added two hits for the Mustangs.
Western had home runs from Keaton Baker and Renn Schafer while Baker, Brett Paxton and Gage Brown each had two hits.
Highland 8, Louisiana 4: The Cougars rallied for six runs in the fourth to take a Clarence Cannon Conference win over the Bulldogs.
Highland (3-3, 2-0) got a two-run double from Ryan Cline in the fourth inning and an RBI single from Ben Westhoff. Jeremy Platt struck out five to get the win.
Louisiana got seven strikeouts from Trace Penrod while Brett Smith and Ryan Pitzer each added a double. Smith finished 3 for 4 for the Bulldogs.
Pittsfield 10, Griggsville-Perry 5: The Saukees erupted for seven runs in the fourth inning to down the Tornadoes.
Pittsfield got a grand slam from Clint Hamilton in the fourth and Zach Ferguson added a solo shot. Hamilton, Ferguson and Bryce Frieden each had two hits with Frieden and Garrett Howland hitting doubles.
Griggsville-Perry (7-4) had a home run from Steven Risley while Risley and Brad Rumple each had three hits.
MEN'S BASEBALL
Evangel 2-2, Culver-Stockton 0-5: The Wildcats failed to get an important Heart of America Athletic Conference divisional sweep on the road in Springfield, Mo.
After dropping the opener, C-SC (24-9 overall, 14-8 HAAC) fell behind early in the nightcap but used a big five-run seventh inning to grab the lead for good.
Chris Rinaudo grounded into a fielder's choice to score the go-ahead run, with Kevin Steinhardt following with a two-run double.
Geoff Davidson (2-1) picked up the win, striking out six. Garrett Kohler picked up his second save of the year.
In Game 1, C-SC was held to only three hits.
Brad Simmons (4-3) suffered the loss for the Wildcats, allowing two runs on six hits in six innings.
