Clinton used a big offensive performance to roll past Decatur Eisenhower 15-0 in a five inning, run-rule win Friday afternoon in non-conference high school baseball action in Decatur.

Noah Bass paced the Maroon's offense finishing 2-for-2 with three RBIs. Mason Walker and Josh Bass each finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs, two runs scored, and a stolen base. 

Cole Fentress added a two-run double. Brooks Cluver was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and three stolen bases. Colton Walker tripled, drove in a run, stole a base, and scored four times for the Maroons. 

Preston Curtis, Jaxson Reynolds, and Jack Manning each added RBIs for Clinton.

Ryan Pine threw four innings of one-hit ball for Clinton. He struck out five. Aiden Toohill threw a scoreless inning of relief.

Clinton is 21-8 overall. They wrap up the regular season next Monday taking on Decatur St. Teresa.

The Maroa-Forsyth Trojans were humming on offense Friday and beat Argenta-Oreana 13-3 in a five inning, run-rule win in Argenta.

Mitch Williams, Tate Brandenburg, and Andy Munjoy drove in three runs apiece. Williams was 2-for-3 adding a triple. Brandenburg was also 2-for-3 with a double and scored twice. Munjoy was 1-for-3. Zayn Giles, Connor Kelly, and Ian Reid added RBIs for the Trojans. 

Kelly went 3 1/3 innings on the mound allowing three runs, one was earned, on six hits with three strikeouts and issued one walk.

Kaiden Maurer closed out the win with 1 1/3 of hitless relief and three strikeouts. 

Maroa-Forsyth goes to 20-3 overall. They are at Prairie Central today (Saturday). 

Lincoln scored five runs in the sixth inning and pulled away from North Mac for an 8-2 win in non-conference high school baseball action in Virden Friday afternoon.

Jarrett Evers broke a 2-2 tie in the inning with a three-run home run. 

Colby Glenn walked five times at the top of the order and stole five bases while scoring two runs. Griffin Shaw and Karson Komnick drove in runs for the Railsplitters. 

Lincoln drew 11 walks for the game and stole eight bases. Evers, Drew Hayes, and Austin Lucas also stole bases. 

Lincoln is 20-8 overall. They will host Williamsville on Monday.

Dexter Niekamp capped a seven-run fifth inning with a grand slam that broke up a Normal Community victory over Peoria Notre Dame 10-3 in Big 12 Conference high school baseball in Peoria Friday afternoon.

The Ironmen led 2-0 going to the top of the fifth inning. Ryan Thiele brought in a run with a single then Owen Cavanaugh and Anthony Gura were hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in back-to-back at-bats to set up Niekamp's big hit. 

Cavanaugh was 2-for-2 with a pair of doubles and a pair of RBIs. Thiele finished 3-for-4 for Normal. Luke Drengwitz added an RBI while Brady Burkhart doubled.

Ethan Eberle tossed five innings of shutout ball for the Ironmen. The Louisville-commit struck out 11, walked three, and permitted just one hit.

Parker Michels permitted three unearned runs in an inning of relief and Cavanaugh finished out the victory with a scoreless inning of relief with a walk and a strikeout.

The Ironmen go to 29-3 overall and 17-0 in the Big 12. They travel to take on Mahomet-Seymour Monday night.

A six-run sixth inning allowed Normal West to rally past Champaign Centennial 10-6 in Big 12 Conference high school baseball action on Friday afternoon in Normal.

Alex Olson hit a bases-clearing double that broke a 6-6 tie. The Wildcats entered the frame trailing 6-5. 

Olson finished 2-for-3 with three RBIs, two stolen bases, and three runs scored. Chase Knuth and Jaxson Crancer drove in two runs apiece. Blake Crancer was 1-for-3 with an RBI, four stolen bases, and three runs scored. 

Trent Durham drove in a run and Brady Hart hit a double as well for Normal West.

The Wildcats improve to 17-12 overall and 11-6 in the Big 12 Conference. They take on Chatham-Glenwood this morning (Saturday).

Delavan blanked Mt. Pulaski 12-0 in a five inning, run-rule Tomahawk Conference high school baseball game Friday afternoon in Mt. Pulaski.

Delavan jumped out to a quick 7-0 in the top of the first inning and never looked back.

Franklin Wade, Landon Smith, and Luke Martin had base hits for Mt. Pulaski.

The Hilltoppers fall to 22-3 overall and 3-1 in Tomahawk Conference play. They have a quick turnaround taking on Illini Central this morning (Saturday).

Mt. Zion scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning and walked off Monticello 4-3 in non-conference high school baseball action Friday afternoon in Mt. Zion.

Eli Craft doubled twice and drove in three runs for the Sages, helping them to a 3-1 lead after six innings. 

Matt Swartz drove in a run and Jacob Long and Luke Teschke scored runs for the Sages.

Monticello has dropped its last two to fall to 28-4. They have one final tune-up on Monday before they begin postseason play on Wednesday at Monticello High School.

Cassie Zimmerman was a single short of the cycle and paced Blue Ridge to an easy 17-2, four-inning, run-rule win over Broadlands-Heritage Friday afternoon in Lincoln Prairie Conference high school softball action.

Zimmerman doubled, tripled, and homered in a five RBI effort. Karlee Fenton and Sierra Watterson drove in a pair for the Lady Knights. Addison Roos, Lily Enger, and Ellie Hayward drove in runs as well.

Ellie Schlieper struck out eight in four innings of two-run ball. She permitted four hits with zero walks.

The Lady Knights are 8-14 overall and go to 2-7 in the Lincoln Prairie Conference. It's off to postseason play for Blue Ridge when they take on Decatur St. Teresa Monday in Regional quarterfinal play.

Monticello used a balanced offensive attack to roll past Arthur Christian 19-7 in non-conference high school softball action from Arthur Friday afternoon. 

Isa Beery paced Monticello going 2-for-4 with a double, a triple, and four RBIs with a run scored. Cassidee Stoeffel doubled twice finishing 4-for-5 with three RBIs and four runs scored for Monticello.

Thea Key tripled twice finishing 3-for-5 with three RBIs and a run scored. Marrissa Miller was 3-for-4 with a double, three RBIs, two stolen bases, and four runs scored for the Lady Sages. 

Avery Schweitzer was 2-for-4 with a triple, two RBIs, and a run scored. Lynsee Trybom was 1-for-3 with a double and three runs scored. Sadie Walsh scored three runs and stole a base for Monticello.

Monticello finishes the regular season 19-12 overall and winners of six straight. It's off to postseason play when they take on Tolono Unity from the St. Joseph-Ogden Regional on Wednesday. 

Coming into the high school baseball season, Coach Nate Ennis looked at senior Brook's Cluver as a super-utility player who could plug and play at several positions.

The senior was targeted to be the team's first basemen, then transitioned to third base, and about a month ago was thrust into the the catching role. Coach Ennis explains an injury to his sophomore catcher Josh Bass left him searching for a catcher so he tossed the opportunity out to his team and it was Cluver who stepped up to take over.

For Cluver, when he started preparing to catch, he was focused on re-establishing those defensive habits and wanted to be able to be reliable behind the plate for his pitcher and the defense behind him. It had been several years since the senior had thrown on the catching gear.

Coach Ennis credits Cluver's work to get himself ready to catch and his staff management. He feels the senior's strong arm has benefitted him moving back behind the plate.

When a position change like this is thrust on a player at any level, sometimes the offensive production can take a hit because of the focus on the switch. Cluver admits his pitching had a brief drop-off as he made the transition.

Cluver's favorite thing about being behind the plate is trying to throw guys out and admits he gets amped up when the opponent gets on base because he's ready for them to try to steal.

Coach Ennis notes that while Bass has returned, he will not catch again this year so Cluver is going to be the Maroons' no. 1 catcher going forward, however, having Bass back in the lineup with the bat is adding to the lineup's depth.

The Maroons finish up the regular season today (Friday) and Monday before they start Regional play next Thursday taking on Tri-Valley at the Monticello Regional.

Hear Maroons postseason action on WHOW and all its digital platforms.

Tuscola was too much for Clinton Thursday as the Lady Warriors put away the Lady Maroons 13-3 in the Central Illinois Conference and regular-season finale at Clinton High School.

The Lady Marons jumped out to a 2-0 lead after the first inning thanks to an Avery Smith RBI groundout and then an Aliviyah Haynes run-scoring single.

It was all Tuscola after that. The Lady Warriors tied the game in the top of the second and added two more runs in the third inning to go up 4-1. 

Clinton got a run back when Ashley Armstrong singled in a run. 

The Lady Warriors tacked on four more runs in the top of the fourth, another run in the fifth, and a four-run sixth ended the game by run rule.

Armstrong and Haynes each finished 1-for-3 with an RBI. Heidi Humble and Brooke Reeves were each 1-for-3 with a run scored. 

The Lady Maroons end the season 10-13 overall and 3-6 in the Central Illinois Conference.

It's off to postseason play next for Clinton. They take on Tri-Valley in Downs in Class 2A Regional quarterfinal play. Hear the action on WHOW and all its digital platforms.

Lincoln used a balanced offensive attack to hold off Auburn 9-6 in non-conference high school baseball action from Auburn Thursday afternoon.

Lincoln started fast with a three-run first inning, highlighted by two bases-loaded walks. The Railsplitters gradually pulled away from there.

Michael Lucas blasted a solo home run in the second inning and finished 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Trey Schilling was 1-for-2 with an RBI, a run scored, and walked twice.

Jarrett Evers was 2-for-3 with an RBI, three runs scored and walked. Drew Hayes and Wes Tedrick drove in runs for the Railsplitters. 

It was a bullpen day for Lincoln. The Railsplitters used four pitchers and Parker Graue got the win with four innings of shutout ball. He permitted four hits with no walks and no strikeouts.

Lincoln withstood a late rally by the Trojans who scored four runs in the seventh inning.

Lincoln is 19-8 overall. They will travel to North Mac today.

El Paso-Gridley doubled up Mt. Pulaski 10-5 in non-conference high school baseball action Thursday in Mt. Pulaski.

The Titans gradually pulled out to a 6-2 lead after four innings and the Hilltoppers could never recover. 

For the Hilltoppers' high-powered offense, it was a relatively quiet day. Eric Cooper was 1-for-3 with an RBI double, the only RBI recorded on the afternoon for Mt. Pulaski.

The two sides combined for nine errors. 

Colt Selinger was 2-for-3 in the nin spot in the lineup while Chance Payne and Tyler Cross recorded the other hits for the Hilltoppers. 

Mt. Pulaski drops to 22-2. They have a busy end to their season before they start postseason play. They host Delavan this afternoon, travel to Illini Central on Saturday morning, and finish the regular season at St. Joseph-Ogden on Monday.

In a game heard on WHOW, Erick Fedde worked six scoreless innings, Tommy Pham had two hits and an RBI and the Chicago White Sox held on to beat the Cleveland Guardians 3-2 on Thursday night.

Chicago won its second straight and for the fourth time in six games to improve to 10-28. The White Sox no longer have the worst record in the majors, moving ahead of the Colorado Rockies, who are 9-28.

Last-place Chicago is 2-2 against AL Central-leading Cleveland.

José Ramírez and Josh Naylor launched back-to-back solo homers off Chicago reliever John Brebbia with two outs in the eighth inning as Cleveland cut Chicago’s lead to 3-2.

The 36-year-old Pham, who doubled, is batting .313 in 12 games since joining the White Sox.

Andrew Vaughn and Paul DeJong added RBIs for Chicago.

Chicago rookie Bryan Ramos had a single and double in his sixth game since being recalled from Double-A Birmingham. He is 7 for 18 (.389) in his major league debut season. Eloy Jiménez had two hits, including a double to the base of the wall.

Fedde (3-0) allowed just three singles, walked none and struck out three through sixth innings.

White Sox All-Star CF Luis Robert Jr. is running at about 70% in his rehab from a right hip flexor strain, manager Pedro Grifol said. Robert suffered “a minor setback” a few days ago in training at the team’s facility in Glendale, Arizona. Grifol hopes the speedy slugger, out since April 5, will be up to “90% running in the next five, seven days” and then progress to baseball activities.

Guardians RHP Carlos Carrasco (2-2, 5.67) faces White Sox LHP Garrett Crochet (2-4, 5.31) on Friday night.

Rhys Hoskins, Jake Bauers and Joey Ortiz each homered to cool Sonny Gray as the Milwaukee Brewers defeated the slumping St. Louis Cardinals 7-1 on Thursday night.

It was the fifth straight loss for the Cardinals, who opened a four-game series with the NL Central-leading Brewers. Milwaukee has won its last six against St. Louis, a streak that began last season.

Milwaukee's William Contreras and Christian Yelich each went 3 of 4. Jared Koenig (4-1) pitched two scoreless innings of relief and worked his way out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the fifth.

Gray (4-2) has been one of the last-place Cardinals’ few bright spots since signing a three-year, $75 million contract in the offseason, but the 2023 AL Cy Young Award runner-up couldn’t stop St. Louis’ slide.

Through his first five starts, Gray allowed a total of six runs, and only three were earned. His 0.89 ERA was the lowest since 1910 by any Cardinals pitcher in his first five appearances with the organization.

The Brewers scored six runs off Gray on Thursday during his five-inning stint. Gray had given up just one homer all year before the Brewers went deep against him three times.

The Cardinals wasted a couple of chances to get back into the game.

St. Louis brought the tying run to the plate with no outs in the fourth while trailing 4-1, but Dylan Carlson grounded into a double play and Masyn Winn struck out. The Cardinals then loaded the bases off Tobias Myers to start the fifth, but Koenig came out of the bullpen and got the next three outs without letting anyone score.

LHP Robert Gasser is expected to make his major league debut for the Brewers on Friday. RHP Lance Lynn (1-0, 3.28) is pitching for the Cardinals.

Kyle Larson beat Chris Buescher at Kansas on Sunday in a green-white-checkered finish and the closest finish — a thousandth of a second — in NASCAR history.

The series is in Darlington this weekend for its annual throwback weekend on Mother's Day.

Larson’s win was his second of the season and the sixth for Hendrick Motorsports through 12 races. Hendrick’s Byron and Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing have each won three times. Larson leads Martin Truex Jr. by 29 points and Chase Elliott by 55 points. 

Larson’s six top-five finishes are the most in the series. Truex shares the lead with three others with seven top-10 finishes. 

Only seven drivers have won races this season.

Byron won the spring race at Darlington last year. Practice and qualifying is at 9:30 am on Saturday and race time is at 2 pm on Sunday afternoon. 

Ryan Truex won at Dover for the second straight year, giving the younger brother of Martin Truex Jr. the only NASCAR victories of his career.

The XFinity Series is back in action after a week off this weekend in Darlington.

Chandler Smith leads Cole Custer by one point and Austin Hill by 17 points. Smith and Hill are the lone two-time winners through 10 races. Smith leads with six top-five finishes and he and Custer share the lead with eight top 10s.

Larson raced in the spring XFinity Race at Darlington last year and went to victory lane. Practice and qualifying is at 4 pm this afternoon. Race time is at 12:30 on Saturday.

Corey Heim passed Nick Sanchez for the lead on lap 70 of 134 and led the rest of the way at Kansas for his second Craftsman Truck Series victory of the season.

Heim’s victory was the seventh of his career. It was his series-best sixth top-five finish and eighth top-10 in as many races and moved him within two points of Eckes for the series lead. Zane Smith, the 2002 series champion, finished second.

At Darlington this week, the Craftsman Truck Series practices and qualifies this afternoon at 2 pm and race time is tonight at 6:30 pm. 

Wyatt Mammen came up an out short of a complete game as Lincoln shutout Pleasant Plains 6-0 in non-conference high school baseball action in Lincoln Wednesday.

Mammen struck out six and walked six while permitting three hits in 6 2/3 shutout innings. 

Trey Schilling finished 1-for-3 with a double and two RBIs. Jarrett Evers was 1-for-4 with a pair of RBIs. Colby Glenn went 2-for-3 with a double, a walk and two runs scored for the Railsplitters. Michael Lucas also drove in a run for Lincoln.

The Railers did all its scoring early. They scored three runs in the first capped by a two-run double from Schilling. Lincoln would tack on three more runs in the fourth.

The Railsplitters earned the top seed in its Regional. They will take on Urbana in Regional semifinal play starting Wednesday, May 22 at Lincoln High School.

Lincoln travels to Auburn for a non-conference tilt this afternoon.

A game that made it through five innings but was suspended last week was finished off Wednesday at Mt. Pulaski blanked Illini Bluffs 3-0 in Tomahawk Conference high school baseball action Wednesday. 

Chance Payne finished off a complete game shutout going the distance while allowing two hits, walking four, and striking out eight. 

Liam Smith capped a two-run third inning with an RBI single and went 1-for-3. Evan Cooper drove in a run while Landon Smith, Chance Payne, and Luke Martin added hits for the Hilltoppers.

Mt. Pulaski goes to 22-1 overall and 3-0 in the Tomahawk Conference. They will host El Paso-Gridley this afternoon.

Thea Key's fourth-inning home run was all the backing Cassidee Stoeffel needed as Monticello took down Mattoon 1-0 in non-conference high school softball action from the Wilke Complex in Monticello Wednesday.

Key also doubled and walked to finish 2-for-3. Sadie Walsh was 2-for-3 at the top of the order for the Lady Sages.

Stoeffel permitted four hits, a walk and struck out four across her seven sparkling innings. 

The win is the fifth straight for Monticello who finishes the regular season 18-12. It's off to postseason play when the Lady Sages take on Tolono Unity at the St. Joseph-Ogden Regional next Wednesday. 

Jonah Roper struck out 13 in a complete game shutout effort and a four run-fourth inning was enough for Normal Community to wrap up the Big 12 Conference regular season title with a 4-0 win over Peoria Notre Dame Wednesday at Normal Community High School.

The Ironmen got RBIs from Owen Cavanaugh, two from Anthony Gura, and Josh Eisfelder. 

Roper permitted five hits and issued two walks. 

Luke Drengwitz was 1-for-3 with a double for Normal. Kaileb Hackman was 2-for-4 with a run scored. Ryan Theile finished 2-for-3 while Dexter Niekamp was 1-for-1 with a walk.

The Ironmen are 28-3 overall and 16-0 in the Big 12. They will travel to Peoria Notre Dame on Friday.

Two Normal West pitchers combined to limit Champaign Centennial to just one run and four hits as the Wildcats grounded the Chargers 4-1 in Big 12 Conference high school baseball action from Champaign Wednesday.

Sam Berine allowed an unearned run in 5 1/3 innings while permitting three hits, three walks, and struck out four. Ryder Coone struck out four in 1 2/3 innings.

Sam DesCarpentrie paced Normal West finishing a home run short of the cycle going 3-for-3 with a double, a triple, an RBI, and a run scored.

Jaxson Crancer finished 3-for-4 with two doubles, a stolen base, an RBI, and two runs scored. 

Bradyn Whiteheaddrove in two runs for the Wildcats while Chase Knuth had the other RBI finishing 1-for-4. 

Normal West is 17-12 overall and 11-6 in the Big 12 Conference. They will host the Chargers on Friday.

In a game heard on WHOW, WEZC, and online at dewittdailynews.com, a bases-loaded walk was the winning run as Clinton picked up one of its biggest wins on the baseball diamond in recent memory and secured its first 20-win season since 2007, blanking Monticello 1-0 in nine innings Wednesday afternoon from the Wilkie Complex in Monticello. 

After a pitchers duel with limited opportunities for both teams, the Maroons broke through in the top of the ninth inning drawing two walks against Sages starter Carter Foran, who was working into the ninth inning. Then Jacob Long relieved and walked the first two batters he faced to bring home the only run of the game.

Brock Wilson was superb for Clinton on the mound. The sophomore went 7 1/3 shutout innings allowing two hits with a walk and six strikeouts.

Foran went 8 1/3 innings and was responsible for the only run scored by Clinton. The Monticello junior allowed three hits, two walks and struck out five.

First-year Clinton Coach Nate Ennis was proud of his team's grit throughout a hard-fought game.

With a runner on and nobody out in the sixth inning, Monticello leadoff hitter and Illinois State-commit Luke Teschke was called on to bunt. The senior delivered a successful sacrifice to move the runner over but the Sages could not capitalize. 

In the bottom of the ninth inning, and a runner on and one out, Monticello cleanup batter Colton Vance was then called upon to sacrifice bunt and popped out at the plate. Coach Ennis felt it was those felt like it was a win already.

Coach Ennis gave his sophomore pitchers praise for their poise in a tough environment, particularly Jack Manning who came on in relief to close out the win.

Clinton goes to 20-8 overall. Monticello drops to 28-3 overall. 

The two teams could meet in a potential Regional Championship next weekend as they are seeded in the same Regional at Monticello High School.

Hear Clinton postseason baseball action on WHOW and all its digital platforms starting next Thursday when they take on Tri-Valley at 4:30 pm from Monticello High School. 

Hear Monticello postseason baseball on WEZC and dewittdailynews.com when they play at 4:30 pm at Monticello High School.

With Clinton's win Monday over Warresburg-Latham, the Clinton Maroons won its first conference title since 2004.

Back then, Clinton was in the old Okaw Valley, but the Maroons went 8-2 in the Central Illinois Conference in 2024 and Coach Nate Ennis credits his team's positive attitude through the ups and downs of a baseball season.

The Maroons start Regional play next week and Clinton is in perhaps the toughest sub-sectional in Class 2A. That's the assessment of Coach Ennis who indicates his team is going to have to play well to get through Tri-Valley and possibly Monticello in Monticello next week.

The Maroons head to Monticello to get a preview of its Regional next week. They take on the Sages at the Wilkie Complex on Monticello's turf baseball field. Game time today is 4:30 pm. Hear the action on WHOW/WEZC/dewittdailynews.com as well all of WHOW's digital platforms.

Lincoln put away Decatur MacArthur with a 12-run fourth inning for a 16-4 five inning, run-rule Central State Eight Conference win yesterday in high school baseball action in Lincoln.

Trey Schilling and Jarrett Evers drove in three runs apiece. Evers was 2-for-2 with a double, stolen base, and three runs scored. Schilling was 2-for-3 with a double and run scored.

Michael Lucas finished 2-for-3 with three stolen bases, three runs scored, and two RBIs. Drew Hayes finished 2-for-4 with a double, two RBIs and a stolen base for the Railsplitters.

Brenden Wurth drove in a run and Dyllan Hayes doubled and stole a base as well for Lincoln. 

Ferguson struck out eight in three innings of work. He allowed four runs, two were earned, on two hits with two walks.

The Railsplitters have won 12 of its last 14 games to go to 17-8 overall and 5-3 in the Central State Eight. Lincoln hosts Pleasant Plains today - who wrapped up the Sangamo Conference championship on Tuesday.

Cassidee Stoeffel's big day at the plate paced Monticello to a 13-2 romp over Mahomet-Seymour in non-conference high school softball action in Monticello Tuesday.

Stoeffel was 3-for-4 with a pair of home runs, seven RBIs, and added a stolen base for good measure. Sadie Walsh was a home run short of the cycle as the sophomore went 3-for-4 with a double, triple, three RBIs and three runs scored.

Marrissa Miller went 3-for-3 with an RBI and three runs scored. Lynnsee Trybom went 2-for-3 with a run scored for the Lady Sages.

Reese Patton fired five innings of two-run ball. The senior capped off her regular season home career by permitting six hits but did not walk a batter and did not record a strikeout.

Monticello is 17-12 overall. They will host Mattoon to wrap up the regular season this afternoon.