In a game heard on WHOW, Clinton used a seven-run fourth inning to get by Decatur MacArthur 11-1 in a five-inning, run-rule win Monday in non-conference high school baseball action relocated to Lincoln.

Nearly 2.5 inches of rain fell in Clinton over the weekend leaving the Evans Field baseball diamond too wet for a game so Decatur MacArthur and Clinton relocated the game to Lincoln High School's turf baseball field. 

Mason Walker finished 3-for-3 with two RBIs, two stolen bases, and three runs scored to pace the Maroons' offense. Brooks Cluver was 2-for-2 with a triple, a stolen base, and a run scored. Colton Walker finished 1-for-3 with a double, two RBIs, and two runs scored.

Jack Manning, Brock Wilson, and Noah Bass drove in runs for Clinton.

Wilson struck out eight in five innings of one-run ball on the mound for the Maroons. The sophomore walked one and permitted three hits. 

Clinton is 16-7 overall and travels to Central A&M for a Central Illinois Conference tilt today (Tuesday).

Tri-Valley was too much for Clinton as the Lady Maroons fell 11-1 in non-conference high school softball action from Downs on Monday afternoon.

Zoey Whitaker hit a home run for the Lady Vikings and Kelsey Bartels drove in four runs on three hits - including a double. 

Heidi Humble hit a solo home run and drove in two, finishing 2-for-3 for the Lady Maroons. Brooke Reeves and Aliviyah Haynes also collected a hit for Clinton.

The Lady Maroons drop to 9-11 overall. They travel to Central A&M for a Central Illinois Conference matchup today (Tuesday).

Madison Stevens twirled a complete-game shut backed by an Ellie Ward homer and St. Joseph-Ogden blanked Monticello 2-0 in Illini Prairie Conference high school softball action from St. Joseph Monday afternoon.

Ward's sixth-inning homer broke a scoreless tie as Stevens and Monticello's Cassidee Stoeffel went toe-to-toe for most of the game. 

Ward struck out four while permitting six hits and a walk. 

Stoeffel allowed two runs in her seven innings of work. The sophomore struck out seven and allowed seven hits while issuing just one walk.

Monticello is 14-12 overall and 2-5 in the Illini Prairie Conference. They will host Sullivan this afternoon (Tuesday).

Landon Smith and Chance Payne hit home runs and Mt. Pulaski rolled to an easy 15-3 win over Meridian in non-conference high school baseball action Monday in Macon. 

Payne's grand slam in the third broke the game open for the Hilltoppers. 

Landon Smith finished 1-for-3 with three RBIs and three runs scored. Franklin Wake and Aaron Volle drove in two runs for Mt. Pulaski. Volle was 2-for-3 with a double and three runs scored.

Liam Smith struck out nine in five innings of work. He allowed three unearned runs with four walks and permitted three hits.

The Hilltoppers go to 19-1 overall. They will host Athens in Tomahawk Conference action on Wednesday.

Normal Community combined to score 43 runs in two easy victories over Peoria, 29-1 and 14-0 Monday in a Big 12 doubleheader sweep for the Ironmen in high school baseball action.

Kaileb Hackman and Dexter Niekamp both went yard in the opener. Hackman was 2-for-2 with a homer, a double, and five RBIs. Niekamp was 1-for-1 with a grand slam. Alex Herren had three RBIs while Riley Hendren and Ryan Thiele each doubled. Hendren, Reid Johnson, Luke Railey, and Justin DeHaii drove in two for the Ironmen. 

In the second game, Railey, Johnson, and Ben Schweigert drove in two runs to pace a 14-run attack. Collin Kearfott doubled for the Ironmen. Brady Burkhart had two hits for Normal. 

The Ironmen drew 14 walks in the second game and had just six official hits. 

Jack Richards struck out 11 in four innings of one-hit ball. 

Normal Community is 23-2 overall and 12-0 in the Big 12 Conference. They will take on inner-city rival Normal U-High on Wednesday.

Jack Livengood limited Normal West to four hits over 6 2/3 innings of shutout ball as Peoria Notre Dame blanked the Wildcats 5-0 Monday in Big 12 high school baseball action in Peoria. 

Livengood struck out eight, walked three, and allowed four hits.

Brady Hart was 2-for-3. Trent Durham walked twice and Sam DesCarpentrie and Bradyn Whitehead had a hit apiece for the Wildcats.

DesCarpentrie allowed five runs, one was earned in six innings on four hits with four strikeouts to two walks for the Normal West.

The Wildcats fall to 13-11 overall. They will host Peoria Notre Dame on Wednesday.

Max Kepler had a tiebreaking RBI single in the ninth inning, and the Minnesota Twins beat the Chicago White Sox 3-2 on Monday night for their eighth straight win.

Byron Buxton doubled to lead off the ninth against John Brebbia (0-1). Kepler, who entered the game as a pinch-hitter in the sixth, then drove him in with a line-drive single to right.

Caleb Thielbar pitched out of a first-and-third jam in the ninth, striking out Korey Lee to end the game after walking Tommy Pham and giving up a two-out single to Robbie Grossman.

Joe Ryan threw six solid innings for the Twins. Coming off a win against the White Sox last week at Target Field, he gave up two runs and six hits.

Brock Stewart worked the seventh, Griffin Jax (2-2) dodged a first-and-second jam in the eighth when he struck out Eloy Jiménez to end that threat, and Thielbar finished up to earn his second save.

Carlos Santana hit a two-run homer in the second to tie the score before Minnesota beat Chicago for the 12th time in the last 13 games. The Twins also matched their best winning streak since also winning eight straight in June 2011.

Andrew Vaughn lined an RBI double and scored in a two-run first to give the White Sox a 2-0 lead, but they couldn’t hang on after winning a season-high three in a row.

Garrett Crochet pitched five innings for the White Sox, allowing two runs and five hits after dropping his previous three starts. The left-hander struck out seven and walked one.

Michael Soroka (0-3, 6.83 ERA) will take the mound for the White Sox after lasting five innings, giving up four hits and striking out one against the Twins on Thursday. RHP Simeon Woods Richardson (1-0, 2.45) starts for Minnesota. He went five innings against Chicago last week, allowing seven hits and striking out six.

Christopher Morel hit a two-run homer off Edwin Díaz to snap a ninth-inning tie and the Chicago Cubs beat the New York Mets 3-1 on Monday night after being held hitless by Luis Severino into the eighth.

Swanson singled off Severino with nobody out in the eighth for Chicago's first hit, putting runners at first and second following a leadoff walk to Michael Busch.

With runners at the corners and one out, pinch-hitter Nick Madrigal hit a broken-bat grounder to third baseman Joey Wendle, who had just entered for defense.

Wendle easily could have thrown out Busch at the plate, cutting off the tying run. Instead, the veteran infielder made an ill-advised decision to try for an inning-ending double play. Madrigal beat the relay to first and the Cubs evened it 1-all.

Brandon Nimmo hit his 13th career leadoff homer for the Mets, but Jameson Taillon shut them down after that in a fast-moving pitchers' duel that zipped by at a breakneck pace.

Mark Leiter Jr. (1-1) got two outs for the win, and Héctor Neris worked around two walks in the ninth for his fourth save. With two runners aboard, he struck out pinch-hitters DJ Stewart and Brett Baty to end a game that took just 2 hours, 5 minutes.

Mike Tauchman doubled off Díaz (0-1) with one out in the ninth. One out later, Morel drove a 3-1 fastball to left-center for his fourth home run.

Cubs RHP Javier Assad (2-0, 2.00 ERA) starts Tuesday night against LHP Sean Manaea (1-1, 3.33) in the second game of the four-game series.

Raiden Colbert homered and drove in three, Hayden Romano went the distance in a shutout effort as Monticello downs Warrensburg-Latham 8-0 in non-conference high school baseball action Saturday in Monticello.

Colbert hit a solo homer and doubled in another as the senior was a triple shy of the cycle, finishing 3-for-3 with two runs and three RBIs.

Romano struck out seven in seven shutout innings. The sophomore walked one and allowed three hits. 

Luke Teschke and Jacob Long drove in runs for the Sages. Matt Swartz was 2-for-3 with a run scored for Monticello.

The Sages go to 24-2 overall. They have an Illini Prairie Conference showdown with St. Joseph-Ogden on Monday in St. Joe up next.

Normal Community swept Plainfield North in a Saturday doublehead, 5-2 and 8-1, to extend a six-game winning streak from Plainfield in non-conference high school baseball action Saturday.

Luke Drengwitz and Kaileb Hackman each homered in the opening contest. Drengwitz hit a three-run home run in the second inning. Hackman opened the scoring for Normal with a solo shot in the first. 

Owen Cavanaugh finished 3-for-3 with a double, a stolen base, and two runs scored while Brady Burkhart was 1-for-3 with a double.

Three Ironmen pitchers combined to limit Plainfield North to a run. Ethan Eberle struck out five in 1 2/3 shutout innings. Hackman three two hitless, scoreless innings with four strikeouts.

In the second game, four Ironmen arms combined for a five-hitter. Cavanaugh threw two innings with three strikeouts and permitted the only run. Burkhart struck out two in an inning of work while Kyle Beaty and Parker Michels each threw a scoreless inning. 

Connor Kearfott was 2-for-3 with three RBIs and scored twice. Jack Richards, Luke Railey, and Reid Johnson each drove in runs for Normal.

With its two wins, Normal Community improves to 22-2 overall. They travel to Peoria on Monday.

Normal West split a double dip with Hononegah on Saturday, winning the opener 3-2 but dropped the second game, 11-7.

Sean Jenkins went six inings of two-run ball for Normal West. The junior struck out eight, walked one and allowed four hit. Leif Blair finished off the win for the Wildcats.

Brady Hart and Jenkins drove in runs. Trent Durham and Chase Reinhart stole bases for the Wildcats.

In the second game, Hart drove in two finishing 2-for-4. Knuth, Sam DesCarpentrie, and Jaxson Crancer doubled for Normal West. Crancer, Knuth, and Alex Olson drove in runs for the Wildcats.

With Saturday's split, Normal West goes to 13-10 overall. They are at Peoria Notre Dame on Monday. 

Illinois (25-16, 11-4) dropped its series finale to Maryland (27-17, 7-10), 11-7, today at Bob "Turtle" Smith Stadium.

Vytas Valincius led the way at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a run, double, home run and five RBI. Connor Milton also went yard in the contest, going 1-for-3 with two runs, a home run, an RBI and a walk. Cal Hejza reached base safely four times, going 2-for-3 with two runs and two walks.

Trailing 7-1, the Illini began chipping away at the deficit in the fourth, when Valincius led off the inning with a solo blast to left center. The Orange and Blue scored two more in the fifth, with Milton launching a solo round-tripper over the batter's eye and Valincius bringing home another run with a sacrifice fly to make it 7-4.

Maryland scraped a run across in the seventh but Valincius would come up clutch in the eighth, clearing the bases with a two-out, three-run double to make it 8-7.

Illinois left 10 runners stranded on base in the loss.

The Illini dropped two out of three over the weekend. Tey host Indiana State Tuesday.

Erick Fedde pitched a seven-hit ball into the ninth inning, and the Chicago White Sox beat the Tampa Bay Rays 4-2 on Sunday for a sweep of their three-game series.

White Sox LHP Garrett Crochet (1-4, 6.37 ERA) starts Monday night against Minnesota.

Illinois State dropped the series finale at Murray State with a 15-12 final at Johnny Reagan Field.

Senior Auggie Rasmussen delivered four RBIs for the Redbirds (21-20 overall, 9-9 MVC) but the Racers move to 26-17 overall and 9-9 in the MVC.

ISU scored three times in the 1st inning to lead 3-0, including a two-run home run by redshirt junior Judah Morris.

Murray State scored the game's next eight runs off a grand slam, two-run home run, and two-RBI double to lead 8-3 after two innings.

Rasmussen sent out a three-run home run in the 3rd inning to cut the deficit to 8-6.

The Racers scored seven of the game's next nine runs off four home runs to lead 15-8 after six innings.

A solo home run from junior Noah Rabin in the 7th inning brought the 'Birds to within 15-9.

In the 8th, Rabin narrowed the margin with a two-RBI double before Rasmussen drove in Rabin to trim the deficit to 15-12 as ISU would not push across another run.

Illinois State concludes a five-game road trip as the Redbirds head to Iowa City on Tuesday to face Iowa. First pitch is set for 6:05 p.m. CT.

Mark Vientos hit a two-run homer in the 11th inning on his second day in the majors this season to give the New York Mets a 4-2 comeback victory over the St.

Louis Cardinals that prevented a three-game sweep Sunday.

New York was 0 for 15 with runners in scoring position and down to its last strike when Harrison Bader singled home automatic runner DJ Stewart from third base with the tying run.

Vientos, who singled as a pinch hitter in the ninth, then drove a 1-2 pitch from Matthew Liberatore (0-1) just beyond the glove of a leaping Michael Siani at the center-field fence.

Brendan Donovan singled home the go-ahead run for St. Louis in the top of the 11th after making three outstanding defensive plays earlier in the game.

Reed Garrett (5-0) worked two innings for the win, allowing just an unearned run. He joined Jesse Orosco (August 1983) as the only Mets relievers to win five games in a month.

Francisco Lindor hit a tying homer in the sixth and stole two bases for New York, which had dropped five of six.

Jose Quintana tossed eight masterful innings of three-hit ball, becoming the first Mets starter in 27 games this season to reach the seventh. The left-hander threw 99 pitches and walked just one batter.

St. Louis, which finished 1 for 12 with runners in scoring position, was looking for its first four-game win streak since a six-game run July 15-20 last year.

Three brilliant catches by Donovan in left field helped Lance Lynn keep the Mets scoreless until Lindor's opposite-field homer on the ninth pitch of his at-bat leading off the sixth.

Masyn Winn doubled off Quintana to open the fifth and scored on a nicely executed safety squeeze by Siani, his first RBI in 76 major league plate appearances with Cincinnati and St. Louis.

Cardinals LHP Steven Matz (1-2, 5.55 ERA) starts Monday night in Detroit against RHP Kenta Maeda (0-1, 5.96). Matz is 7-0 with a 1.78 ERA versus AL Central opponents. The Cardinals have faced the Tigers in three World Series (1934, 1968, 2006), winning twice.

Tyler O’Neill hit a game-ending bloop single to give the Boston Red Sox a 5-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Sunday night.

Jarren Duran hit a two-run triple and Connor Wong drove in two runs with a pair of two-out singles, helping Boston to the win in the rubber game of the weekend set. The Red Sox beat the Cubs 17-0 on Saturday.

Chicago trailed 4-1 before Mike Tauchman hit a tying three-run homer against Chris Martin in the eighth inning. Matt Mervis hit an RBI single in the seventh for the Cubs' first run of the game.

For the second straight day, a large gathering of Cubs fans that made the trip to Fenway Park were unable to wave their “W” flags, a staple after wins at Wrigley Field.

Duran led off the ninth with a walk against Mark Leiter Jr. (0-1). He raced to third on Rafael Devers’ single.

O’Neill then hit a shallow fly toward left field. Shortstop Dansby Swanson, playing with the entire infield in, tried to make sliding catch, but it went off his glove and landed in the outfield grass.

Red Sox right-hander Tanner Houck struck out nine in 6 2/3 innings. He was charged with one run and four hits.

Kenley Jansen (1-0) worked the ninth for the victory.

Duran’s triple into the center-field triangle made it 4-0 in the sixth.

Boston shortstop Ceddanne Rafaela went 1 for 4 a day after going 4 for 4 with a two-run homer and driving in seven runs.

Despite dealing with injuries to their starting rotation, the Red Sox entered the day with a majors’ best 2.63 ERA, their lowest at this point of a season since 1920.

Red Sox right fielder Wilyer Abreu made a nice running catch on Swanson’s fifth-inning fly ball, and second baseman Enmanuel Valdez had a diving play on Nico Hoerner’s grounder the following inning.

Cubs catcher Miguel Amaya struck out swinging in the third, and his bat went flying over the protective netting. It went into the stands about 10 rows behind the Cubs’ on-deck circle, appearing to strike a fan. Medical personnel were looking at a person’s hand. They left their seat and walked away with the EMTs.

Cubs RHP Jameson Taillon (2-0, 1.69 ERA) is set to open a four-game series at the Mets on Monday. RHP Luis Severino (2-2, 2.67 ERA) is slated to start for New York.

Denny Hamlin called his shot ahead of Dover, guaranteeing a win on his podcast, then followed through on his bold boast that would have made the Bambino proud and held off Kyle Larson down the stretch to park his Toyota in victory lane.

Hamlin wiggled past lapped traffic and never let Larson squeak by him over the final laps in a showdown between two of NASCAR’s elite drivers and won the Cup race by about a quarter of a second Sunday at Dover Motor Speedway.

Hamlin has the victory lane celebration down pat this season. He celebrated last week at Talladega Superspeedway in his role as co-owner of 23XI Racing when Tyler Reddick took the checkered flag. Hamlin’s contribution was a bit overshadowed by his fellow team owner — Michael Jordan. For the first time since he became a NASCAR Cup team owner, Jordan was at the track to savor in person a victory by one of his drivers.

Hamlin’s three wins tie him with William Byron for most this season in the series. Hamlin also picked up his 54th career Cup win, all with Joe Gibbs Racing. He’s tied with Lee Petty for 12th on the career Cup list.

Larson finished second and nipped at Hamlin’s bumper for most of the final 25 laps and seemed on the brink of passing the Toyota. Larson’s No. 5 Chevrolet just couldn’t close the deal on the mile concrete track. Hamlin took the lead off a restart with 81 laps left and never let it go, repeatedly choking off Larson’s Chevy at the top of the track.

Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Busch and Chase Elliott completed the top five.

Up next is Kansas Speedway where Hamlin is the defending race winner.

Clinton and Warrensburg-Latham moved up Friday's scheduled Central Illinois Conference softball matchup to Thursday with rain in the forecast for Friday and it was the Lady Cardinals that rolled to an easy 14-3, five-inning, run-rule victory.

The Lady Cardinals started fast with a six-run first inning then answered with a five-run second inning. 

Emelia Coble hit a home run, doubled, and drove in three to lead Warrrensburg-Latham. Madison Bell-Walters was 2-for-3 with three RBIs and Shelby Oakley doubled and drove in a run finishing 2-for-4 for the Lady Cardinals.

Heidi Humble hit a solo home run and scored twice for the Lady Maroons. Brooke Reeves was 1-for-3 with a double. Avery Smith and Ariana Humes had RBIs for Clinton.

Clinton drops to 8-10 overall and 2-5 in the CIC. They will host GCMS on Saturday morning.

Monticello rebounded from two straight losses and took advantage of BCC miscues to roll to an 11-3 win in Illini Prairie Conference high school baseball action Thursday in Bloomington.

Sages hitters drew nine walks and scored 11 runs on ten hits in a rebound performance from dropping back-to-back games after a 22-game win streak to start the season.

Carter Foran and Colton Vance drove in two runs apiece. Ike Young was 2-for-2 with a double, RBI, and two walks. Luke Teschke walked three times and was 1-for-1 with a double, and RBI and scored twice. 

Jacob Long and Dylan Brown drove in runs for the Sages.

Koyie Williams allowed three runs in six innings to pick up the win for Monticello. The sophomore struck out five, allowed nine hits, and walked one. 

Monticello goes to 23-2 overall and 6-1 in the Illini Prairie Conference. They are scheduled to host Warrensburg-Latham on Saturday.

Luke Martin's two-run home run in the top of the ninth inning lifted Mt. Pulaski over Springfield High 3-1 in nine innings Thursday in non-conference high school baseball action from Robin Roberts Stadium in Springfield.

Chance Payne's second double of the day set up Martin's heroics in a high school baseball classic. 

Eric Cooper hit a game-tying RBI double in the fourth inning for the Hilltoppers. 

Payne struck out 11 in 6 1/3 innings of one-run ball for Mt. Pulaski. The run was unearned and he allowed two hits and three walks. Martin got the win with 2 2/3 innings of hitless, scoreless relief. Martin walked three and struck out four. 

Payne doubled twice finishing 2-for-4 for Mt. Pulaski.

The Hilltoppers are 18-1 overall. Mt. Pulaski is scheduled to travel to take on Bloomington Cornerstone Christian Academy this afternoon.

A four-run seventh inning helped Auburn take down Maroa-Forsyth 7-4 in Sangamo Conference high school baseball action Thursday in Forsyth.

The big inning was highlighted by a two-run double from Jed Ferguson to break a 3-3 tie. 

Maroa-Forsyth got a run back in its half of the seventh but the Trojans' rally fell short.

Ace Giles doubled in a run for Maroa-Forsyth in the first inning. Andy Munjoy drove in a run as well. Tate Brandenburg finished 1-for-4.

Maroa-Forsyth falls to 16-3 overall and 5-2  in the Sangamo Conference. They are scheduled to host St. Joseph-Ogden this afternoon.

Normal Community scored eight runs in the second inning and made quick work of Urbana 14-1 in a five-inning, run-rule win from Normal Thursday in Big 12 hig school baseball action.

The two squads were set to play on Friday but with rain in the forecast, the game was moved up to Thursday. 

Kaileb Hackman went yard and drove in four runs to lead the Ironmen. Kyle Beaty drove in a run and stole three bases. Riley Hendren tripled and drove in a run while Ryan Theile, Ethan Eberle, and Luke Drengwitz had RBIs for Normal.

Luke Klunke allowed a run in three innings for the Ironmen. He struck out five, walked two and permitted two hits. Luke Railey struck out five and walked one in two innings of hitless, scoreless relief.

Normal Community goes to 21-2 overall and 11-0 in the Big 12. They travel to take on Plainfield North on Saturday.

Taylor Hafermann struck out ten in five innings of two-run ball helping Normal West get by Danville 5-2 in Big 12 high school baseball action Thursday in Danville.

The game was moved up to Thursday with rain in the forecast for Friday afternoon. The Wildcats rolls the Vikings 16-1 on Wednesday. 

Grady DeVors took the loss for Danville going the distance and allowing five runs, four were earned with three strikeouts to three walks and permitted seven hits. 

Brady Hart was 2-for-3 with two RBIs, a stolen base, and a run scored. Hafermann was 2-for-2 with an RBI while Chase Knuth was 1-for-3 with an RBI and run scored.

Ryder Coone picked up the win for the Wildcats with two innings of hitless, scoreless relief. The senior struck out five and walked four.

Normal West is 13-9 overall and goes to 8-4 in the Big 12. They will host Hononegah on Saturday.

The Clinton Maroons split a Wednesday evening doubleheader with Tuscola in Central Illinois Conference high school baseball - one game being a regularly scheduled matchup and the other a make-up of a rainout from earlier in the spring.

The Maroons won the first game 4-2 behind a bullpen day for Clinton. Brooks Cluver, Cole Fentress, and Preston Curtis combined to no-hit the Warriors. 

Fentress allowed two unearned runs and walked four in 2 2/3 innings. Curtis struck out five to close out the win in four perfect innings of work.

Mason Walker was 2-for-3 with an RBI, stole two bases and scored a run. Colton Walker and Aiden Toohill added RBIs. 

In the second game, the Warriors used a six-run fourth inning to get by Clinton 9-6. 

Colton Walker was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a stolen base. Jaxon Reynolds had the only other RBI for Clinton.

Trailing 4-3, Tuscola broke the game open with the six-run inning highlighted by a two-run single by Caiden Russo. 

With the split Wednesday, Clinton is 15-7 overall and 6-2 in the Central Illinois Conference. They will host Warrensburg-Latham on Friday afternoon. Hear the action on WHOW and all its digital platforms.

Brooke Reeves and Heidi Humble each drove in two runs pacing Clinton over Tuscola 7-3 in Central Illinois Conference high school softball action from Tuscola Wednesday.

Reeves finished 3-for-5 with a double, two stolen bases, and two runs scored in addition to her two RBIs. Humble finished 2-for-3 with a triple and her two RBIs.

Avery Smith, Aliviyah Haynes, and Sara Mills also drove in runs for the Lady Maroons. 

Ashley Armstrong went seven innings in circle Wednesday. The senior allowed three runs, one was earned, on six hits while issuing a walk and struck out eight.

Clinton is 9-9 overall and 3-4 in the Central Illinois Conference. They host Warrensburg-Latham this afternoon.