Newton Wins Regional, Hearts Lose in Regular Season Action

The Newton Eagles captured the championship of their own 2A Regional Friday.

The Eagles defeated Carlyle 8-4 in action that was moved up from the original Saturday morning scheduled contest.

Newton scored early and often to post the win, plating three runs in both the first and third innings, along with single tallies in the second and seventh innings. Carlyle, the top seed in the regional, scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh, but the Eagles held on for the win.

Newton pounded out 12 hits in the win. Jansen pitched five shutout innings for Newton to claim the win, allowing just three hits and striking out four.

At the plate for Newton: Grunloh--double, RBI; Mammoser--double, single, 2 RBI; Prater--home run, 3 RBI; Weber--double, single, RBI

Newton, now 18-9, will take on the Gillespie Regional winner on Wednesday at 4pm at the Teutopolis Sectional.

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The Effingham Hearts are still looking for their 20th win of the baseball season, falling to Highland 9-6 on Friday.

Highland got out of the gate early, scoring a run in the first and then plating six more runs in the second inning to take a 7-0 lead. 

Effingham wasn't done, though. The Hearts scored three runs in the second inning and two more in the third to pull within 7-5. Effingham made it 7-6 with a run in the sixth, but the Bulldogs plated two more runs in the seventh and claimed the three-run win.

Five Hearts errors were a problem.

Ryan Barnes took the loss for the Hearts, allowing seven runs, six earned, on five hits and a walk in 1-1/3 innings of work. Colby Utz took over and pitched 5-1/3 innings, allowing just one run on three hits and two walks while fanning two. Brett Koester got the final out, allowing a run on three hits and a walk.

At the plate for Effingham: Brett Koester--walk; Michael Woltman--walk; Lane Koenig--double, single, two runs; Mason Hull--double, single, run, RBI; Hudson Graham--run; Blake White--two walks, two runs; Reed Schafer--single, RBI; Zac Bateman--two doubles, 2 RBI

Effingham falls to 19-9 on the spring.