Saturday highlights

TRACK & FIELD

EAST PALESTINE -- The McDonald boys and girls track teams took the top spots in the Bulldog Invitational held at Reid Memorial Stadium at East Palestine High School.

The Blue Devil boys walked away with 107 points and the girls had 95.

Hubbard and Mineral Ridge tied for second place on the boys side, scoring 57 points. Columbiana scored 35 points and finished in sixth.

On the girls side, Rootstown finished in second place with 82.5 points and Mineral Ridge was third with 64.5.

Jesse Likens of Kennedy won the running event MVP for the second weekend in a row after finishing in second place in the 100, 200 and 400-meter dashes. Ryan Henry of McDonald took the field event MVP after getting first in the shot put and second in the discus.

For the girls, Kennedy's Chloe Coates took first in the 400-meter dash and second in both the 100 and 200 to get the running event MVP. Emma Rich of Mineral Ridge took the field event MVP, getting first in the shot put and second in the discus.

BASEBALL

Howland's Anthony Massucci struck out eight and allowed just five hits over 6 2/3 innings in a 3-0 victory over Poland. Jared Mindek was 2-for-3 with two RBIs for the Tigers.

West Branch's David Cunningham didn't allow a run over six innings to help the Warriors top South Range, 7-0. Cunningham struck out four and yielded just three hits.

Tre Ciavarella struck out eight and didn't allow a run on three hits as he led Ursuline past Columbiana, 5-0.

SOFTBALL

Mary Brant of Poland clubbed two home runs as the Bulldogs split two games with University School and Steubenville. Brant homered, tripled and drove in four runs in a 23-2 shellacking of University. Brant, Katie McDonald and Connie Cougras all had four hits.

West Branch's Sydney Mercer drove in eight runs and homered twice in a doubleheader sweep of Girard. Mercer was 4-for-4 wih a home run and five RBIs in a 12-1 Game 1 victory. In the Warriors' 6-1 Game 2 victory, Mercer had three hits, including a homer, and Jordan Anderson went 4-for-4.

Jackson-Milton's Riley Headley belted four hits, including a home run and a double, as the Blue Jays rallied to beat Western Reserve, 10-7.

Ursuline's Alyssa Sheely doubled, homered and drove in four runs in a four-hit performance that powered the Irish to an 18-0 victory over Berkshire. Mia Opalick tossed a three-hitter in the circle for Ursuline (11-0).

South Range's Bree Kohler did it all in the Raiders' 9-3 victory over Tallmadge. Kohler struck out 14 in earning the victory, and she also homered, drove in three runs and led South Range with three hits.

Saturday highlights

TRACK & FIELD

EAST PALESTINE -- The McDonald boys and girls track teams took the top spots in the Bulldog Invitational held at Reid Memorial Stadium at East Palestine High School.

The Blue Devil boys walked away with 107 points and the girls had 95.

Hubbard and Mineral Ridge tied for second place on the boys side, scoring 57 points. Columbiana scored 35 points and finished in sixth.

On the girls side, Rootstown finished in second place with 82.5 points and Mineral Ridge was third with 64.5.

Jesse Likens of Kennedy won the running event MVP for the second weekend in a row after finishing in second place in the 100, 200 and 400-meter dashes. Ryan Henry of McDonald took the field event MVP after getting first in the shot put and second in the discus.

For the girls, Kennedy's Chloe Coates took first in the 400-meter dash and second in both the 100 and 200 to get the running event MVP. Emma Rich of Mineral Ridge took the field event MVP, getting first in the shot put and second in the discus.

BASEBALL

Howland's Anthony Massucci struck out eight and allowed just five hits over 6 2/3 innings in a 3-0 victory over Poland. Jared Mindek was 2-for-3 with two RBIs for the Tigers.

West Branch's David Cunningham didn't allow a run over six innings to help the Warriors top South Range, 7-0. Cunningham struck out four and yielded just three hits.

Tre Ciavarella struck out eight and didn't allow a run on three hits as he led Ursuline past Columbiana, 5-0.

SOFTBALL

Mary Brant of Poland clubbed two home runs as the Bulldogs split two games with Unversity School and Steubenville. Brant homered, tripled and drove in four runs in a 23-2 shellacking of University. Brant, Katie McDonald and Connie Cougras all had four hits.

West Branch's Sydney Mercer drove in eight runs and homered twice in a doubleheader sweep of Girard. Mercer was 4-for-4 wih a home run and five RBIs in a 12-1 Game 1 victory. In the Warriors' 6-1 Game 2 victory, Mercer had three hits, including a homer, and Jordan Anderson went 4-for-4.

Jackson-Milton's Riley Headley belted four hits, including a home run and a double, as the Blue Jays rallied to beat Western Reserve, 10-7.

Ursuline's Alyssa Sheely doubled, homered and drove in four runs in a four-hit performance that powered the Irish to an 18-0 victory over Berkshire. Mia Opalick tossed a three-hitter in the circle for Ursuline (11-0).

South Range's Bree Kohler did it all in the Raiders' 9-3 victory over Tallmadge. Kohler struck out 14 in earning the victory, and she also homered, drove in three runs and led South Range with three hits.

Saturday highlights

BASEBALL

≤ Niles' Kolton Christopher struck out eight and allowed just two hits in the Red Dragons' 12-1, five-inning victory over Campbell. Zack Leonard added three hits, including a double, and two RBIs.

≤ Newton Falls' Holden Hanzel went for 3-for-3 with four RBIs and two doubles to power the Tigers in a 12-5 win over Mathews.

SOFTBALL

≤ Nicolina Pezzone was a single shy of hitting for the cycle in a win over Leetonia. Pezzone hit a double, triple and home run and finished with 5 RBIs. Trista Horger, Brooke Adams and Mary Bayus each had two hits for the Wildcats in the win.

≤ Ursuline's Paige Ogden blasted two home runs in the Irish's 10-3 victory over Tallmadge at the Akron Race Ohio Invitational on Friday. Emily Holland also homered and drove in three runs. Alyssa Sheels contributed three hits, including a triple.

≤ Ursuline's Mia Opalick homered and tossed a six-hit shutout in the Irish's 10-0, five-inning victory over Akron Ellet on Saturday at the Akron Racer Ohio Invitational. Opalick also had two hits and two RBIs.

≤ Brookfield's Autumn Sirochman launched two homers and had four hits in the Warriors' 17-7 win over Liberty in five innings. She drove in six runs in the victory.

≤ Poland's Katie McDonald twirled a three-hit shutout and also homered and drove in five runs to lift the Bulldogs over Girard, 10-0, in five innings. Mary Brant added three hits, including a double, a homer and two RBIs.

Saturday highlights

BASEBALL

≤ Lakeview's Evan Pirtz had two doubles and three RBIs to help the Bulldogs hold off a late Liberty rally and win, 12-9. Cal Rinck also drove in three and added two hits, while Nick DeMonica picked up the win, not allowing a run over two innings.

≤ Matt Kozak had two hits and drove in two runs for Niles in a six-inning, 11-0 shutout over Grand Valley. Andrew Huffman and Chase Sudzina combined on a two-hitter with eight total strikeouts.

SOFTBALL

≤ Maddie Lester homered, doubled, singled and pitched a complete game as Boardman beat Aurora, 6-1. Lester drove in three and struck out nine in the victory, allowing one run.

≤ McDonald's Bri Callow struck out 15 as she spun a one-hitter in a 14-0 win over Girard. Lucia Wolford added two hits and four RBis for the Blue Devils (1-1).

McKenna Schultz threw a no-hitter for Crestview in a 17-0 win over Campbell in the first match of a doubleheader. Schultz threw eight strikeouts and allowed zero runs on zero hits in five innings.

Over the two games, Crestview won by a combined 28-0.