Putnam County falls to Aurora Christian in final

By BRAD MARTIN Shaw Local News Network correspondent

GRANVILLE – Putnam County had some chances Saturday but was unable to come up with the big hit in the Class 1A Putnam County Regional championship game.

Aurora Christian, on the other hand, did take advantage of its chances as the Eagles’ early runs were enough to propel them to a 6-0 victory.

The Panthers were the visitors despite being on their home field, and Andrew Pyszka got PC’s bats going right away with a double.

He advanced on a sacrifice bunt from Blake Billups, but that is where the threat stopped as Connor Kendall was on cruise control on the mound for the Eagles.

“The story of the day was we left

Pc Roundup

Baseball

Putnam County 3, Hinckley-Big Rock 2: The No. 4-seeded Panthers scored three runs in the top of the first inning and held on to beat the No. 6 Royals in a Class 1A Putnam County Regional semifinal in Granville on Thursday, May 18.

Nicholas Currie hit an RBI triple to tie the game at 1-1, Jackson McDonald followed with an RBI double, and Blake Billups hit an RBI single.

Billups finished 2 for 3, while Andrew Pyszka was 2 for 3 with a run scored.

Austin Mattingly earned the win with five innings of relief, allowing one unearned run and two hits with nine strikeouts and no walks.

Putnam County 4, St. Bede 3: Nicholas Currie hit a walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh inning to lift the Panthers to a nonconference victory in their regular-season finale in Granville on Monday, May 15.

Blake Billups doubled and drove in three runs for PC (18-13), while Troy Petty was the winning pitcher.

Luke Tunnell and Callan Hueneburg each drove in a run for the Bruins (20-6).

Softball

Newman 7, Putnam County 2: Salina Breckenridge was 1 for 2, drove in a run and scored a run as the No. 5-seeded Lady Panthers lost to the No. 3 Comets in a Class 1A Newman Regional semifinal in Sterling on Thursday, May 18.

Sarah Johnson doubled and scored a run for the Lady Panthers (15-9).

guys on the bases,” Putnam County coach Chris Newsome said. “We started off the game getting guys on, but were just unable to get that big hit to jump start us.”

The Eagles did get the hits when they needed as they plated a pair of runs in the first.

Ryan Jones led off with a single to left and stole second. Adan Rocha walked, and Rudy Griffin picked up an RBI single.

Two batters later, Josh Elwood hit a sacrifice fly to center to push the lead to 2-0.

“That’s kind of been our MO lately,” Aurora Christian coach Andy Zorger said. “We have been jumping on teams early and getting the momentum early.”

After the Panthers went down in order with three straight strikeouts, the Eagles went back to work.

Owen Niedzwiecki reached on a fielder’s choice and advanced on a wild pitch, then Jones hit a rocket that bounced over the glove of Troy Petty at first for an RBI double to make it 3-0.

Rocha made it 4-0 with an RBI single to left, and Griffin singled to left, but Billups came firing to Nick Currie at home for the final out of the second.

The Panthers led off the third with a single to center from Johnathon Stunkel.

Pyszka and Currie walked to load the bases with two outs, but McDonald lined right to the center fielder for the final out.

In the bottom of the third, the Eagles added another run when Diego Huerta hit an infield single and advanced to third after a wild pitch and a groundout scoring on a wild pitch for a 5-0 lead.

In the top of the fourth, the Panthers stranded two more runners.

The Eagles added an insurance run in the bottom half with an RBI groundout by Andrew Hernandez.

Putnam County put two on in the sixth, but a 1-6-3 double play helped stop the momentum.

“This group of kids has worked so hard this season,” Newsome said. “They overcame injury after injury. Pyszka was back-to-back all-state and missed 17 or 18 games. We were just starting to get things going. I feel like another week and who knows, but these guys are amazing. Jackson is just a workhorse, and he’s our guy on the mound. I wouldn’t change that at all. We got 10 seniors who have just battled. It’s unfortunate, but that’s baseball. The guys coming back, sky’s the limit.”