Minerva baseball closes season battling through tough losses

There are few feelings worse in sports than watching a game slip away inning by inning.

Minerva appeared on its way to a postseason victory in its Division IV East 1 District sectional softball final against River View May 12. The Lions built a 4-0 lead before River View rallied with four runs in the fifth inning and three more in the eighth to stun Minerva 7-4.

Rachel Weaver and Natalie Essick each collected three hits for the Lions. Weaver doubled, scored twice and drove in two runs, while Gabby Kashdan added two hits and scored once.

A day earlier, the Lions dropped a 4-1 Eastern Buckeye Conference game at Alliance. Delaney Sell and Kashdan each had two hits, while Kylie Hannen drove in Minerva’s lone run.

Minerva softball closed the season 7-15.

Track and field

While Minerva’s softball and baseball teams endured difficult weeks, the Lions boys track team captured the Eastern Buckeye Conference championship with 131 points, finishing ahead of runner-up Salem. The girls team placed third behind Salem and Marlington.

The boys were led by Owen Shick, who swept the 100- and 200-meter dash titles with times of 10.96 and 22.27 seconds. Nate Linkous added third-place finishes in both events.

Rowen Hoffee won the 800 in 1:59.22 and the 1,600 in 4:24.72, while Owen Yoder captured the 3,200 title in 9:58.60 and placed second in the 1,600 in 4:33.39. Tyson Fetty finished fourth in the 800, and Anderson Scott added a third-place finish in the 3,200.

Caden Stewart placed second in the 110 hurdles, Wyatt Gonzalez won the high jump by clearing 6 feet, 5 inches, and Sean Scott finished third in the shot put.

Minerva’s relay teams also scored heavily. The Lions won the 4x800 relay, placed third in the 4x100 and 4x200 relays and finished fourth in the 4x400.

For the girls, Tateum Richard won the 800 in 2:16.16, while the 4x800 relay team also captured a conference title with a time of 9:41.46.

Makenzie Beavers finished second in the 3,200 in 11:33.33, and Carley Wolf placed second in the 300 hurdles in 47.17.

Addison Keyser finished third in the 800 and fourth in the 1,600, while Gracie Momirov-Dierick, Emma Catlett, Jayden Kirkpatrick, Autumn Thompson and Lanae Walter all contributed top-four finishes in their events.

The 4x400 relay placed third, and the 4x200 relay finished fourth.

Baseball

Minerva baseball opened the week with a 4-0 loss at Sandy Valley May 12 despite strong pitching performances from Braydon Wood and Kaden Kandel.

Wood allowed two earned runs over four innings, while Kandel threw two scoreless innings in relief. Sandy Valley pitcher Trey Nicholson struck out eight in a complete-game shutout.

Parker Linkous led the Lions with two hits, while Wood, Owen Frazier, Kandel and Kolton Almasy each added hits.

Three days later, Minerva lost 6-1 to East Canton despite out-hitting the Hornets 6-2.

Lane Tarbet struck out seven while working through defensive miscues behind him. Kandel added relief work, and Brendan Huth closed with a scoreless inning.

Brennan Barnes scored Minerva’s lone run after Jason Sivy delivered an RBI single in the third inning. Barnes also had a hit and a stolen base, while Frazier, Wood, Almasy and Parker Linkous each recorded hits.

Minerva baseball finished the week 11-13.