Ithaca needed a sweep of Saginaw Valley Lutheran to claim the TVC-White baseball title, but could only come away with a split, losing 5-4, then winning the nightcap 5-2.
Charlie Martyn took the loss for Ithaca, which committed four errors. He threw five innings, allowing five runs – none earned – on seven hits and a walk while striking out nine.
Braxton Flood was the winning pitcher for the Chargers. He went all seven innings, striking out 10 while allowing four runs on eight hits.
Ethan Hull had a two-run homer for Ithaca. Ryley White was 2-for-4 with two runs scored, while Collin Thrush was 3-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI and Kaleb Peska doubled.
Drew Darling was 3-for-4 batting for Valley Lutheran.
Ithaca scored three runs in the first in the second game, keyed by a two-run RBI double from thrush.
White was 2-for-3 with a run scored, and Martyn was 2-for-4 with a run scored. Martyn and Bryson LeBaron doubled for the Yellowjackets. Hull and Peska also had base hits.
Hull pitched and picked up the win for Ithaca. He pitched seven innings, striking out eight while allowing two runs on two hits.
Ithaca plays Hemlock in a Division 3 district semifinal Saturday at Hemlock.
Ashley on a roll
Ashley won three of its four games last week. The Bears beat Farwell 5-2, and lost 7-0, in a non-conference doubleheader at Ashley.
Robert Kral got the win for Ashley. He threw six innings, allowing two runs, one earned, on five hits and one base on balls, while fanning nine Farwell batters.
While Ashley had just three hits – from Carson Litwiler, Jason Gibby and Chase Kral – Robert Kral, Litwiller, Gibby, Clayton Juhas and Logan Drummond all crossed the plate for the Bears.
Chase Kral took the loss for the Bears. He allowed seven runs, though none earned, in five-and-two-thirds innings. He allowed three hits and three walks, and struck out four.
Ashley had just one hit, from Litwiller.
The Bears beat Vestaburg at home 8-2 and 9-6.
Litwiller struck out 14 in Ashley’s 8-2 victory, while allowing two runs on four hits and just one walk.
Robert Kral was 2-for-3 at the plate for Ashley with a double and two RBI, while Gibby drove in two runs and scored on one hit. Drummond had an RBI double and scored twice.
Drummond was the pitcher of record in the 9-6 win. In five innings he allowed five runs on two hits and six bases on balls while striking out nine.
Juhas was 3-for-4 with two runs scored; Litwiller 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs; and Drummond 2-for-3 with an RBI triple and three runs scored.