***Kendall Vincent is a participant of The Kewanee Voice Student Journalism Program, funded by the Harry Anderson Memorial Trust.
The A/W Varsity Titans fought hard in a pair of competitive games this week but ultimately came up short against Monmouth United’s Red Storm on Tuesday and the Farmington Varsity Farmers in a walk-off loss Wednesday.
Tuesday vs. Monmouth United
Despite an 11-hit effort, the Titans couldn’t overcome a powerful start from Monmouth United, falling 9-5. The Red Storm jumped ahead early with a five-run first inning, powered by Nolan Jenks’s two-run double and Wyatt Stockdale’s RBI single. They continued to build on their lead in the second with run-scoring plays from Ian Leffler and Kellen Boone, and Jenks later added a two-run homer in the sixth.
Maddux Heitzler started on the mound for the Titans, allowing seven hits and five earned runs in just over two innings. Jonathan Torres came in for relief and provided a steady effort, giving up only two runs across four and two-thirds innings.
At the plate, Heitzler led the Titans with a perfect 4-for-4 day, while Brody Childs, Zeb Rashid, Nic Thurston, and Jaxson Dunn each chipped in with RBIs. A/W showed fight, but Monmouth’s 13-hit performance and aggressive baserunning sealed the deal.
Wednesday vs. Farmington
The Titans looked to bounce back the next day and nearly pulled it off, battling the Farmington Varsity Farmers in a tense game that ended in a walk-off 4-3 loss. Tied at 3-3 heading into the bottom of the seventh, Farmington’s Landon Crawford delivered the game-winning hit with an RBI single.
Devon Horrie gave the Titans a solid start on the mound, pitching six and two-thirds innings while allowing just three earned runs and striking out four. Offensively, Zeb Rashid sparked the late rally with a double, and Nic Thurston followed with a clutch RBI single to tie the game in the seventh. Thurston led the team with two RBIs, and Brody Childs continued his consistent hitting with a 2-for-4 performance.
The Titans drew six walks in the game and played with patience and poise but couldn’t outlast a Farmington team that played flawless defense and got a dominant pitching effort from Crawford, who struck out 13 over six innings.
JV Titans split two games
Despite a late rally, the Titans dropped a 10-6 contest to Monmouth United JV. Monmouth stormed out to a 9-0 lead in the first inning, taking advantage of walks, timely hits, and aggressive baserunning. The Titans struggled early on the mound, with Cole Goodley allowing seven runs in just one-third of an inning. Nathan Harker came on in relief and steadied the ship, surrendering only one unearned run over three innings.
A/W made things interesting in the fifth inning, scoring five runs on four hits. Jace Nichols doubled home two runs, Victor Skaggs drew a bases-loaded walk, and Baylor Frankenreider smacked an RBI double. Nichols finished the game 2-for-2 with two RBIs. The Titans showed discipline at the plate, drawing eight walks in total.
Monmouth’s balanced attack, highlighted by multi-RBI performances from #9 and #16, and six stolen bases as a team, proved too much to overcome.
The Titans flipped the script the very next day, overcoming a 10-2 deficit with a stunning nine-run seventh inning to edge Geneseo JV, 11-10. Trailing by eight runs heading into the final frame, A/W loaded the bases and took advantage of Geneseo’s miscues and their own patience at the plate. Pierce Childs drew a key walk that brought in two runs, while multiple RBIs came via Skaggs, Frankenreider, and Cole Dynes.
Myer Heitzler started the game for the Titans, allowing four runs over three innings, while Dane Ross closed things out with a shutout inning of relief. Skaggs led the team with two hits and two RBIs, while Dynes also drove in a pair and reached base three times via walk.
The Titans collected 10 hits and nine walks in the win. Skaggs, Frankenreider, and Childs each notched two hits. Despite Geneseo collecting nine hits and stealing seven bases, the Titans’ ninth-inning heroics sealed the dramatic win.