STEUBENVILLE – The ball does not need to be put in play to produce at the plate.

The Steubenville (7-3) baseball team gave up too many free bases against Wheeling Park (4-9) as the Patriots took advantage of six walks, four hit batters and multiple wild pitches to defeat Big Red, 11-0, via mercy rule in six innings Wednesday at the Crimson Complex.

From the start of the game, it just wasn’t Big Red’s day.

The first four batters all reached safely for the Patriots as the boys in blue tallied three runs in the top of the first inning and never looked back. The victors scored at least one run in all six innings.

Jaxson Updegraff went the distance and picked up the win for the boys from Ohio County. He struck out seven while not walking a batter. He did not allow a run while only giving up two hits – both of which were singles.

Steubenville only had one baserunner reach second base in the game.

Offensively for Big Red, Nick Lovato singled to lead off the second, but he was quickly erased as part of a 6-4-3 double play. Chase Beall singled with two outs in the third, and the right fielder stole second base, but he was stranded there after a strikeout. Royal Mayo reached on an error with one out in the seventh, but he did not advance following a strikeout and a game-ending groundout.

Wheeling Park produced 12 hits en route to the win – one of which was a double. The Patriots received contributions throughout the lineup as all nine starters picked up at least one hit in the game.

Individually, Koleton Whitmire collected two singles and two RBI, Brody Groome delivered a double and an RBI and Updegraff finished with two singles and an RBI. Also, Brayden Bartsch contributed a single and two RBI, Tristan Hays and Bodie Cox each chipped in with a single and an RBI and Miles Gorby recorded two singles. Finally, Rylan Moore ended up with a single.

The victory enabled Wheeling Park to split the season series. The Big Red defeated the Patriots, 10-5, March 30 on the road.

St. Clairsville 3, Cambridge 2

ST. CLAIRSVILLE – The Red Devils scored all of their runs in the top of the third inning and Tyler Kosek made them stand up at Don Coss Stadium.

Jaxon Starks doubled and tripled to drive in a run for St. Clairsville. Matheson King also tripled, while Niko Jacob drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.

Kosek went the distance, striking out four and not walking a Bobcat. He allowed five singles and a double.

The victory was No. 499 for veteran Red Devil skipper Tom Sliva. He will try for the milestone Friday against the Bobcats at Don Coss Stadium in Cambridge.

Union Local 19, Bellaire 1

MORRISTOWN – The Jets broke open a 3-0 game with eight runs in the second and eight more in the fourth against the visiting Big Reds.

Braden Kovacs and Levi Lucas each singled twice to plate a pair of runs, while Brody Gregor had two one-base knocks and an RBI. Bam Porter and Evan Poziviak each doubled in two runs and Karson Gregaitis singled in two more.

Union Local also took advantage of 11 base-on-balls issued by Bellaire pitching.

Cameron 5, Oak Glen 3

CAMERON – The Dragons’ Soier Reed and Landen Francis combined to strike out 15 Golden Bears, with Reed earning the win with 10 punchouts in four-plus innings of work. Francis set down five. They limited the visitors to three singles.

Kason Angel and Zayde Long had RBI singles for Cameron. Anthony Bellanco drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.

Camm Dittman and Kaden Dragisich had run-scoring singles for Oak Glen.

River 5, Shadyside 3

HANNIBAL – Kaden Hunt went the distance on the mound, striking out six, walking none and scattering six singles as the Pilots defeated the visiting Tigers.

Easton Huntsman and Cooper Roberts each singled in two runs for River.

Damian Russell had half of Shadyside hits. Ryan Collins singled in two runs and Dom Forgacs drove in the other tally.

SOFTBALL

Wheeling Park 7, Weir 6

WHEELING – The Patriots used run-scoring singles from Mikayla Alderman and Ava Harris in the bottom of the seventh to rally for a repeat victory over the visiting Red Riders. Harris finished with two singles.

London Fankhouser doubled and hit solo home runs in the fourth and sixth innings for Wheeling Park. Winning pitcher Harmony Bittner singled and doubled to produce a pair of runs, while Kylah Cunningham singled and doubled; Adrian Moses had two singles and Grace Tamburin had a run-scoring base hit.

Weir’s Lila Boliegh missed hitting for the cycle by a triple, finishing with a run batted in. Bri Weber had two RBI with a pair of doubles. Loganne Barton singled three times and knocked in a run.

Monroe Central 9,Shenandoah 7

WOODSFIELD – The host Seminoles (11-2) continued to shine on the diamond as Kamryn Winland pitched six innings of relief, striking out five and walking three. She also had an RBI double.

Allie McFrederick blasted a three-run home run for Monroe Central, while Karsyn Muncy sing;led and homered to drive in two runs. Brylee McFrederick singled thrice and Jadyn Miller had a two-run double. Maclarin Craft singled and doubled.

River 8, Shadyside 2

SARDIS – Ava Wohnhas outdueled Cam Kolvek as the Pilots (10-3) navigated past the visiting Tigers (7-6). Wohnhas struck out a dozen, didn’t walk a batter and scattered three singles. She also belted a solo home run.

Cykla Jeffers drove in four runs for River with three singles. Jayda Kinney-Blair had a run-scoring double and Alyvia Bayes tripled.

Kolvek fanned nine in five innings but Shadyside made five errors.

Reese Burkhart singled in a run for Shadyside

Trinity Christian 7, Magnolia 1

MORGANTOWN – The visiting Blue Eagles could only muster up three hits in their loss to the Warriors.

Jessa Anderson doubled and scored on a single by Sidney Knight.

(Late Tuesday)

SOFTBALL

Wheeling Central 9, St. Clairsville 1

ELM GROVE – Maddie Miehle’s two-run homered ended things in the bottom of the fifth on Ben’s Field at the I-470 J.B. Chambers Complex.

Bella Rine also drove in two runs with a single and double. Seneca Heller doubled in two more.

Olivia Kiaski went the distance inside the circle, striking out five, walking one and yielding two hits.

Grace Miller doubled for the Red Devils. Lily Price recorded an RBI.

Monroe Central 15, Barnesville 4

WOODSFIELD – With the game tied at 3 after an inning, the host Seminoles (10-2) scored six times in the second frame and added a five-spot in the third to take control.

Allie McFrederick was a two-way thorn in the Shamrocks side as she doubled, homered and drove in six runs. She also went the first three innings inside the circle to collect the win.

Kennadi Jorris finished with three runs batted in, while Kamryn Winland singled, doubled and knocked in a run.

Ella Betts singled thrice for Barnesville, driving in a run. Peyton Loudin singled twice and plated a run, while Maddie Shaffer had a two-run double.

The Shamrocks committed eight errors.

BASEBALL

Tyler Consolidated 3, St. Marys 0

KIDWELL – Reese Davis scattered four hits, struck out seven and walked a pair as the Silver Knights blanked the visiting Blue Devils. Davis also singled twice to score a pair of runs.