Sports

GC Petites 2 Play Norris City

Category: Sports

The Gallatin County Petites 2 traveled to Norris City for their fifth game of the season. Lydia Breeding opened up the top of the first with a hard hit line drive straight into the shortstop's glove. With two outs and a full count, Audrey Jackson doubled into centerfield. NC pitching then retired the side. With Audrey Jackson on the mound and Kallie Keasler behind the plate, the Hawks held the Cardinals hitless in the bottom of the first.

It looked as though GC was ready to light up the scoreboard in the top of the second when Abby Keasler lead off with a single up the middle. NC had other ideas and sent next three batters back to the bench. With Valerie Bourland taking her turn behind the plate Audrey Jackson struck out the first two batters. Molly Newton at second then fielded a hard hit grounder and threw to Whitney Hilburn at first to end the inning with both teams scoreless.

The top of the third saw the Cardinals retire all three Hawk batters. Back to back hits put Norris city ahead by one run before Gracie Sauls at shortstop went deep on a hard hit grounder and fired to Whitney Hilburn at first to end the bottom of the third.

With two outs in the bottom of the fourth Lydia Breeding launched her second blast of the game only this time it went straight into the third baseman's glove. Audrey Jackson struck out all three NC batters in the bottom of the fourth to end the inning with a one to zero Cardinal lead.

Coach Newton began the top of the fifth by telling his 2012 Petites that they knew what it took to win this one and to go out there and do it. By this point in the season he knew he had the best hitting team in the league and he had a team that could literally explode at the plate. Kenzie Roberts opened things up with a pop-up that dropped in right field for a single. Audrey Jackson was next and followed with a line drive into right field to put runners on first and third. Emma Brockett then sent the first pitch into deep right field for the Hawk's first triple of the season with Roberts and Jackson scoring. Abby Keasler kept things going with a line drive over the shortstop's head sending Brockett home with another Hawk run. Molly Newton then sent another line drive over the shortstop's head with Keasler scoring. Whitney Hilburn was up next and drove a single past the second baseman with Newton scoring. Valerie then singled before NC retired the side with a five to one Hawk lead. Audrey Jackson then struck out all three Cardinal batters to end the inning.

NC pitching held the Hawks hitless in the top of the sixth. The Cardinals scored two runs on three singles in the bottom of the sixth with the game ending with a five to three Gallatin County victory.

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Petites Play and Win Fourth Game

Category: Sports

The Gallatin County Petites played their fourth game of the season against Eldorado on May 31. It was the Hawks third home game and was umpired by Mark Montgomery and Quinton Drone.

The visiting Eagles scored one run on two singles in the top of the first. Lydia Breeding, leading off for the Hawks, lined the first pitch into left field for a single. With one out, Audrey Jackson singled into center with Breeding scoring. Eldorado then retired the side to end the inning with the score tied at one each.

The top of the second began with defensive ace Gracie Sauls at shortstop fielding a hard hit grounder and throwing to Whitney Hilburn at first for the out. Audrey Jackson then finished the inning with strikeouts. With one out in the bottom of the second, Kallie Keasler blasted a single up the middle. After another GC out, Valerie Bourland hit a too hot to handle grounder down the third baseline with Keasler scoring. Eldorado then retired the side with a two to one Hawk lead.

Audrey Jackson struck out the first two batters in the top of the third then Gracie Sauls at shortstop fielded a slow roller and rifled the throw to first for the last out. The bottom of the third saw Anna Watson beat out a slow roller in front of the plate for a single. With two outs, Lydia Breeding continued her streak with another line drive into the outfield with Watson scoring. Kenzie Roberts then kept things alive with a single up the middle. Audrey Jackson was next in the batters box and got her second hit of the night on a single into right field with Breeding scoring. Eldorado then retired the side with a four to one Hawk lead.

The Eagles scored two runs in the top of the fourth on a double and two singles. It was now the Hawks turn to bat and, as Abby Keasler was taking warmup swings in the on-deck circle, the Eldorado coach walked over to the GC dugout. He told Coach Newton that Gallatin County was ahead, there wasn't time for another inning after this one, and let's just shake hands and call it a game. With the four to three win over Eldorado, the Hawks are now halfway through the season and have two wins, one tie and one loss.

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Wargel and McGuire Names

Category: Sports

Four Harrisburg baseball players, along with two from Gallatin County were recently named to the 2012 Southern Illinois Coaches Association Baseball Team.

Representing the Bulldogs were Ryne Roper, Cameron Cummins, Cody Hall and Tyler McGowan. Gallatin County was represented by Wesley McGuire Marcus and Marcus Wargel.

Wargel, a junior-to-be, was recently named to the 2012 Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association 1A All-State team, joiningShawnee's Adam Pennington on the 15-man 1A Team list.

As a catcher for the Hawks, Wargel had a .545 batting average and a .610 On Base Percentage, while finishing this season with 20 doubles, five home runs, 37 RBIs and 60 stolen bases.

McGuire finished with a 7-5 record on the mound and a 1.59 ERA with 88 strikeouts.

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Marcus Wargel Named All Stater in Baseball

Category: Sports

Marcus Wargel holds a distinction that not many in southern Illinois can say they have after this past baseball season.

The Gallatin County junior-to-be was recently named to the 2012 Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Assocation 1A All-State team, joining just Shawnee's Adam Pennington on the 15-man 1A team list.

In Class 2A, Anna-Jonesboro's Brady Wright and Benton's Tyler Leffler made the IHSBCA Team, giving Southern Illinois only four representatives.

Wargel, a catcher for the Hawks, had a .545 batting average and a .610 On Base Percentage, while finishing this season with 20 doubles, five home runs, 37 RBIs and 60 stolen bases.

Head coach Dave Cruson said that for Wargel, who is a 4.0 GPA student, he as hard working on the baseball field as he is in the classroom.

"The thing about Marcus is he wants to get better and he wants to improve. He did a great job as our catcher and quickly figured out how to call a game behind the plate. He's a polite kid and I think this year, really found his place on the ballfield."

Wargel is believed to be the first baseball player from Gallatin County to ever be named All-State.

takne from Harrisburg Daily Register

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Gallatin County Petities 2 Play at Pope County

Category: Sports

The 2012 Gallatin County Petites 2 played their first away game on May 30 against the Pope County Pirates. Always a tough match for both teams, the GC girls had plenty of time on the sixty minute drive to think about the battle awaiting them.

With one out in the top of the first, Kenzie Roberts reached first on a grounder into centerfield. Audrey Jackson then singled into right field with Roberts scoring. PC then retired the rest of the side. The bottom of the second began with Audrey Jackson striking out the first batter. Molly Newton, at second, then fielded a hard hit ball and threw to Kenzie Roberts at first for the next out. The Pirates then scored one run on two singles before the Hawks retired the side with the score knotted at one each.

Lydia Breeding opened up the top of the second with a single into the hole between shortstop and third. Pope County then retired the rest of the side. The Pirates scored two runs on three singles for a three to one PC lead to end the inning.

Gracie Sauls lead off the top of the third with a line drive over the shortstop's head for a single. Anna Watson then singled down the third baseline with Sauls scoring. With two outs, Kenzie Roberts beat out a roller to the shortstop with Watson scoring. PC then retired the side with the game tied at three runs each. The Hawk defense held the Pirates scoreless in the bottom of the third.

After an uneventful fourth inning for both teams, the Hawk offense again came alive in the top of the fifth. Kallie Keasler lead off with an infield single. Valerie Bourland was up next and singled into left with Keasler scoring. Kourtine Condon then sacrificed with Bourland scoring. Pirate pitching then retired the side. PC scored one run in the bottom of the fifth on two singles with the inning ending with a five to four GC lead.

The game had went to regulation time, two hours, and the Hawk fans began folding up their chairs thinking they were leaving town with a victory when they noticed the PC players taking up their positions in the field. Coach Newton obliged and sent his next batter to the plate. The Pirates then held the Hawks scoreless in the top of the sixth. Pope County scored two runs on one triple and two singles and ended the inning with a six to five PC lead.

The top of the seventh saw Audrey Jackson reach first on an infield grounder. Emma Brockett then singled with Jackson stopping at second. With Abby Keasler in the batters box, the PC catcher attempted to throw out Audrey Jackson stealing third and overthrew allowing Jackson to score on the play. Pope County then retired the side with the score knotted at six to six. Audrey Jackson struck out all three PC batters in the bottom of the seventh to end the game with the score tied