Spring sports are under way at Kewanee High School, as the school’s baseball, softball and boys and girls track teams have been in action.
Kewanee topped LaSalle-Peru 4-3 in their home opener.
Junior Kalleigh Gale was strong in the pitchers circle yielding only two runs through five innings with eight strikeouts.
The Boiler Girls scored three runs to tie the game in the bottom of the sixth inning when sophomore Remy Hicks, Gale and sophomore Kieryn Abernathy all plated. The big blow was delivered by freshman Riley Blades, who hit a screaming line drive double to the left center gap scoring sophomore Lyric Duytschayver and putting the Boiler Girls ahead for good.
Duytschayver pitched the sixth and seventh innings for the Boiler Girls and finished the game with the win and a stubborn defense behind her.
Blades collected three hits in three at bats, but Kewanee lost to Marquette 13-5.
Blades hit a solo home run to left field in the sixth inning, doubled in the second inning, and doubled in the fourth inning.
A double by Hicks gave the Boiler Girls the lead, 4-3, in the bottom of the fourth but Marquette jumped back into the lead in the top of the fifth scoring four runs. They tacked on six more runs in the top of the sixth inning.
Freshman Allyson Puskar had a solid outing at pitcher for the Boiler Girls. The hurler allowed eight hits and three runs over four innings, striking out three and walking none.
Hicks led the Boiler Girls with two RBI. Hicks and Blades each collected three hits.
Next up for the Boiler Girls is a game against Illinois Valley Central on Wednesday.
Kewanee’s freshman-sophomore baseball team started the season 0-1 with a loss to the Geneseo Maple Leafs, 11-1, in five innings. Reid Nichols started the game on the mound for the Riveters, going two and two-thirds innings and surrendering five earned runs. Nichols struck out four in his outing.
Offensively, the Riveters tallied eight hits despite only scoring one run. Nichols led the Riveters going 3-3. Isaiah Ince and Rafael Palma also added two hits apiece.
The Riveters are scheduled to play Brimfield (Wednesday) and Monmouth United (Friday).
The Kewanee boys track team was in action at the Rock Falls indoor track meet. They won the six-team meet behind first-place finishes from Chris Crowe in high jump and long jump, Dontaveon Thomas in triple jump, Leo Gandarilla in shot put, Anthony Padilla in the 60 meter high hurdles, Preston Stabler in the 400 meter, and the 4×800 meter relay team of Michael Bermudez, Alex Barron, Damareon Thomas, and Lain Taylor.
Second place finishes came from Padilla in the 400 meter, Tyson Currie in pole vault, and the 4×400 meter relay team of Padilla, Crowe, Stabler, and Evan Cleaver.
Michael Bermudez also scored a third place in the 800 meter to help the team to victory.
Kewanee Girls Track and Field placed third at the Rock Falls Indoor Meet at Westwood Sports Complex in Sterling on Monday, March 10. Earning places in the top five for the girls team were:
Olivia Ralston 1st place in the 800 meter run with a time of 2:48.25.
Tejhiana Amos was in a three-way tie for first in high jump at five feet.
Nolie Charlet placed second in the mile with a time of 6:01.32.
Placing third in their events were Tejhiana Amos in the 200, Ximena Maritnez in the 400, Star Jordan in shot put, and the 4×800 relay comprised of Nolie Charlet, Olivia Ralston, Tiffany Helton, and Aymar Mosso.
Placing fourth was Jendayia Crowe in the 60 meter hurdles.
Fifth place finishes were the 4×200, Claire Taylor in pole vault, Dani Jo Currier in triple jump, and Jendayia Crowe in high jump.
The Boiler Girls’ next meet is the Silver Streak Indoor Meet at Monmouth College on Saturday, March 22. Girls will start at 8:30 a.m., boys will start at 1 p.m.
