Linus Lininger won a third-set tiebreaker at No. 1 singles, 4-6, 6-1, 1-0, on April 30, completing a 5-0 victory for the Newark boys tennis team at Central Crossing.
Viktor Gleckler, 6-0, 6-0, and Wes Arnold, 6-0, 6-0, also won singles matches for the Wildcats (8-5). Grayson Boyer and Will Bolte, 6-0, 6-0, and Bradley Pastorius and Isaac DeVries, forfeit, won doubles matches.
Watkins falls to Lancaster
Watkins Memorial dropped a trio of three-set matches in a 3-2 loss to Lancaster.
Graham Smith at No. 2 singles, 6-0, 6-4, and Gavin Adelman and Nathan Walter at No. 1 doubles, 6-3, 6-2, won matches for the Warriors (10-4).
BOYS LACROSSE
Johnstown rolls on road
Ben Smith made 10 saves to spearhead the defensive charge as Johnstown picked up a 15-3 victory at Dayton Chaminade-Julienne (1-11).
Will Taylor piled up six goals, and Jason Hettinger, Logan Brown and Hayden Norman added hat tricks with three goals each for the Johnnies (8-5). Gabe Schneider recorded a team-best three assists, and Matthew Baisden won 14 of 20 face offs.
BASEBALL
GCA bumps off Shekinah
Josiah Green’s two-run single highlighted a three-run bottom of the fourth inning, lifting Granville Christian to a 5-2 victory against visiting Shekinah Christian (6-2, 6-1) in Mid-Ohio Christian Athletic League play.
Green finished 4 for 4 with three RBIs, and Samuel Merritt added a hit, two runs and an RBI, Josh Benvie a double and a run and Aiden Geiger a hit and an RBI for the Lions (8-7, 5-3). Geiger struck out nine, allowed four hits and two unearned runs.
Liberty rallies for win
Jackson Cecil’s two-run double capped a four-run bottom of the seventh inning, giving Liberty Christian an 11-10 victory against visiting Madison Christian (5-7, 3-6) in MOCAL play.
Cecil totaled two hits, two runs and three RBIs for the Eagles (4-7, 3-5), who also scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth. Dawson Kamppi added two doubles and two RBIs, Logan Dyer two hits, including a triple, two runs and an RBI, Elijah Wickline a double, two runs and two RBIs and Max LaPorte a double and two runs.
Granville wins at Heath
Jackson McMillan pounded two home runs as a part of a three-hit, four-RBI day, powering Granville to a 9-2 victory at Heath in Licking County League play.
Wilson Wells also homered and scored three runs, and Jakob Culver added two hits, including a double, and two runs, Luke Bosse three hits and an RBI and Max Hall and Jake Johnson a double and a run apiece for the Blue Aces (6-7, 6-5). McMillan also struck out four and allowed six hits and one earned run in six innings.
Carter Mason, who doubled, and Macksen Matthews led the Bulldogs (9-7, 7-4) with two hits and a run apiece, and Jamison Walsh added three hits, including a double, and Drew Gostrue a hit and an RBI. Cooper Matheny struck out three and allowed two runs in 3⅔ innings of relief.
Watkins blanks NC
Logan Grezlik struck out three and allowed five hits in 6 2/3 scoreless innings before Cooper Lang relieved and got the final out with two runners on base, securing Watkins Memorial’s 2-0 victory at Newark Catholic in LCL play.
Cam Burt led the Warriors (11-5, 8-3) with two hits, a run and an RBI. Tanner Neal added a hit and a run and Patrick Shroyer an RBI.
Hal Gillespie struck out two and allowed five hits and two runs in six innings for the Green Wave (10-5, 7-4), who host Heath on May 1 as two remain in a three-way tie with Northridge for first place in the Cardinal Division. Andy Gossett and Alex Nagel recorded two hits apiece.
Northridge tripped at home
Collin Matheson was a perfect 4 for 4 and scored a run in Northridge’s 2-1 loss to visiting Zanesville (8-9, 4-7) in LCL play.
Kash Reeves drove in Matheson for the Vikings (10-5, 7-4). Parker Hill struck out two and allowed five hits and two runs in five innings, and Will Higgins struck out two in two hitless innings of relief.
Heights wins at Johnstown
Caleb Starns and Tino Martin piled up three hits and two RBIs apiece, sparking Licking Heights in its third consecutive victory, 9-6 at Johnstown in LCL play.
Lance Burkhart and Stone Fenton added two hits, including a double, and a run apiece and Zach Bricker and Remy Alcorn a hit, a run and an RBI each for the Hornets (5-9, 5-6). Burkhart also struck out two, getting final four outs in relief of Martin.
Landon Myers led the Johnnies (7-9, 4-7) with three hits, a run and three RBIs. Braeden Archibald added two hits and three runs, Erik Marohl three hits and an RBI and Carter Holbrook and Landon Larson two hits and a run apiece.
Utica drops home game
Gaige Spray hit a two-run home run for Utica in a 13-4 loss to visiting Mount Vernon (4-10, 3-8) in LCL play.
Aaron Hays added a double and a single and a run for Utica (5-13, 3-8) and Radek Napier two hits and an RBI.
Newark nipped on road
Newark left two runners on base in the seventh inning, falling 4-3 at Canal Winchester (6-8, 4-5) in Ohio Capital Conference-Buckeye Division play.
Brody Driskel and Brody Randall notched two hits, including a double, each with Driskel scoring twice and Randall knocking in three runs for the Wildcats (14-3, 9-1), who dropped into a tie in the loss column for first with Lancaster, and Landyn Ankrum added a hit and a run. Randall and Trenton Wilson struck out four apiece.
SOFTBALL
Northridge beats Zanesville
Ryleigh Myers homered as a part of Northridge’s 13-3 victory against visiting Zanesville (0-16, 0-12) in Licking County League play.
Ellie Reese and Nya Van Ostran recodded two hits, including a double, apiece combining for two runs and three RBIs, and Elizabeth Behn added a hit, three runs and two RBIs for the Vikings (7-12, 2-10). Reese also struck out three and allowed eight hits and three runs.
Watkins nips NC
Lily Parker and Cori Groothuis combined on a four-hit shutout, striking one apiece in Watkins Memorial’s 2-0 victory against visiting Newark Catholic in LCL play.
Groothuis allowed just one hit in 4⅓ innings of relief. Bryna Davis hit a leadoff home run, and Ava Bailey added two hits for the Warriors (14-6, 8-4).
Mackenzie Gebhart doubled and singled for the Green Wave (10-7, 6-6). Veronica Bailey struck out five and allowed seven hits and one earned run.
Granville wins at Heath
Bella Metcalf was perfect 3 for 3, scoring two runs and driving in four, fueling Granville to a 19-3 victory at Heath in LCL play.
Alysa Stephens, Sydney Cottrill and Jillian Brownfield added two hits each, combining for seven runs and eight RBIs, Avary King three hits, a run and an RBI and Aubrey Lackey a solo home run for the Blue Aces (7-13, 3-9). Kaylee Watkins struck out three and allowed two hits and two runs in three innings.
Ambreigh Dennison doubled and scored for the Bulldogs (2-14, 1-11). Kate Zarins added a hit and a run and Laityn Dennison a hit and an RBI.
Utica upset bid falls short
Kaitlin Evans hit a grand slam and two-run double, driving in all six runs for Utica in an 8-6 loss to visiting Mount Vernon (13-4, 10-2) in LCL play.
Kenzie Fletcher added two hits, including a double, and two runs and Emily Meyers and Kiersten Hull two hits and a run apiece for Utica (10-8, 6-6).
Newark drops home game
Maygen Woody singled twice for Newark (2-17, 1-12) in a 19-0 loss to visiting Lancaster (11-7, 9-2) in OCC-Buckeye play.
Liberty falls at home
Katelyn Nestor led Liberty Christian with two hits, a run and two RBIs in a 17-7 loss to visiting Madison Christian in MOCAL play.
Macyn Looney added a hit and a run, Vanessa Carroll a hit and an RBI and Izzy Parson two runs and an RBI for the Eagles (4-10, 3-4).
BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Newark falls at home
Zalyn Hanzey led the Newark defense with 40 digs in a loss to visiting New Albany, 28-30, 25-21, 25-13, 25-9.
Miles Drake totaled 14 kills and six aces, Koby Watson 11 assists and Dominic Williamson three blocks for the Wildcats.
This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Roundup: Licking County spring sports teams flip calendar
Reporting by Kurt Snyder, Newark Advocate / Newark Advocate
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
