***Kendall Vincent is a participant of The Kewanee Voice Student Journalism Program, funded by the Harry Anderson Memorial Trust.

Titans get walk-off win

In a dramatic finish on Thursday, the Annawan/Wethersfield Varsity Titans clinched a 5-4 walk-off victory against the Erie-Prophetstown Varsity Panthers. Trailing 4-3 in the bottom of the seventh, the Titans capitalized on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Brody Childs, allowing two runs to cross the plate and seal the win.

Erie-Prophetstown struck first, taking a 1-0 lead in the opening inning on a bases-loaded walk by Braedyn Frank. However, the Titans responded in the third, jumping ahead 3-1 after Maddux Heitzler’s RBI single and a defensive miscue that brought in two more runs.

The Panthers battled back, tying the game in the sixth after an RBI single from Evan Steimle and a groundout by Eli Heyvaert that pushed another run across. Erie-Prophetstown then edged ahead 4-3 in the top of the seventh, thanks to a go-ahead single from Tristan Hovey.

Zeb Rashid got the start for the Titans, delivering five solid innings without allowing a hit while striking out six and walking five. Heitzler and Kellan Keane came on in relief to finish the game. For the Panthers, Steimle took the mound first, pitching three and two-thirds innings and allowing three runs (one earned) on two hits, with four strikeouts and four walks.

Childs led the Titans offensively with two RBIs, while Keane, Aaden Verstraete, Rashid, Heitzler, and Koeyn DeClercq each tallied a hit. The team displayed patience at the plate, drawing eight walks, with Keane, DeClercq, and Devon Horrie each earning two free passes. Rashid also made an impact on the basepaths, swiping two bases.

For Erie-Prophetstown, Hovey led the charge with two hits in three at-bats. Steimle, Heyvaert, and Hovey each drove in a run, while Caden VanHorn contributed two walks. The Panthers also showed strong plate discipline, collecting six walks and turning a double play defensively.

With the walk-off win, the Titans showcased resilience and determination, securing a hard-fought victory in front of their home crowd.

Titans fall short against Newman

In a nail-biting finish on Wednesday, the Annawan/Wethersfield Varsity Titans fell just short against the Newman Central Catholic Varsity Comets, losing 8-7 on a walk-off single in the bottom of the eighth. With the game tied at seven, Joe Oswalt delivered the game-winning hit, bringing in the deciding run.

Despite the loss, the Titans outhit the Comets 10-8, with Aaden Verstraete leading the way with three hits.

Annawan/Wethersfield struck first in the opening inning when Nic Thurston singled to drive in a run. However, Newman Central Catholic quickly responded in the bottom half, scoring three runs on RBI singles from Daniel Kelly and Drake Cole, along with a Titans defensive miscue. The Comets extended their lead to 4-1 in the third on another Titans error.

The Titans mounted a comeback in the fifth inning, cutting into the deficit with back-to-back solo home runs by Verstraete and Maddux Heitzler, making it 7-3. They continued their rally in the sixth, tying the game at seven behind an RBI single from Verstraete and a run-scoring double by Kellan Keane.

Jonathan Torres pitched effectively in relief for Annawan/Wethersfield, allowing just one hit and no runs over three and one-third innings. Koeyn DeClercq got the start, giving up four runs (two earned) on four hits over two and one-third innings while striking out three.

Newman Central Catholic’s Evan Bushman went the distance on the mound, tossing all eight innings while surrendering 10 hits and seven runs, striking out five.

Offensively, Keane led the Titans with three RBIs, finishing 1-for-4, while Heitzler added two hits in three at-bats.

For the Comets, Oswalt and Kelly each drove in two runs, while Chase Decker paced the team with two hits. Ashton Miner demonstrated patience at the plate, drawing four walks as Newman Central Catholic worked a total of 13 free passes. Cole stole two bases, contributing to the team’s aggressive baserunning with four total steals. Defensively, the Comets played a clean game, committing no errors.

Despite a hard-fought effort, the Titans came up just short in a thrilling extra-inning battle, proving their resilience and determination throughout the contest.