ACME recap: Van Wert wins sectional title

Van Wert independent sports

CONVOY — Van Wert captured the ACME West sectional title and advanced to district competition with a 7-2 win over Delphos St. John’s on Saturday, then a 6-2 victory over Delphos Jefferson on Sunday. Crestview and Lincolnview saw their respective ACME seasons come to an end.

Against the Blue Jays, Parker Conrad had three of Van Wert’s 10 hits, including two doubles, plus two RBIs, while Keaton Brown, Ries Wise and Josh Halker each drove in a run. The Cougars scored two runs in the first inning, two more in the second, two in the fourth and one in the fifth.

Keaton Brown earned a complete game victory, holding Delphos St. John’s to five hits while striking out 11 and walking three.

In Sunday’s sectional championship game against Delphos Jefferson, Brown paced Van Wert with three hits and Conrad had two hits and two more RBIs as the Cougars rallied from a 2-1 deficit to win 6-2.

Three of Van Wert’s runs were scored in the fourth inning – Conrad scored on an error, Hunter Bolenbaugh drove in Levi Eddins, then Bolenbaugh scored on another Wildcat error.

Conrad picked up the win on the mound by fanning 14 Delphos Jefferson batters, allowing five hits and walking two.

Van Wert (9-2-3) will begin district competition against an opponent and date and time to be determined.

In other ACME sectional baseball action over the weekend, host Crestview was eliminated with Friday’s 8-7 loss to Delphos St. John’s, then an 8-1 loss to Lincolnview on Saturday. The Lancers were led by Carson Fox, who finished with three hits and three RBIs, while Clayton Leeth and Aaron Cavinder each had a pair of hits.

Lincolnview, who lost on Friday 3-2 to Delphos Jefferson during Friday’s opening round, was eliminated on Sunday with a 9-1 loss to Delphos St. John’s. The Lancers finished the season 6-7-1.