Orton and Randolph Lead Mahomet-Seymour to Apollo Conference Championship with Commanding Doubleheader Wins
By Fred Kroner
Mason Orton and Finn Randolph pitched the Mahomet-Seymour baseball team to a doubleheader sweep at Mattoon on Saturday (May 4) and an Apollo Conference championship.
Orton scattered four hits in six innings in the opener, a 9-2 Bulldog victory. He walked four batters and struck out five.
Alec Bergman pitched the final inning and fanned two hitters.
In the nightcap, an 8-1 M-S triumph, Randolph threw four innings and allowed five hits. He issued one walk and notched three strikeouts. Cade Starrick followed with his longest outing of the spring, three scoreless innings of one-hit ball. He walked one and fanned three.
Bulldogs with hits in both games were Randolph (2-for-6 overall), Gavin Bailey (4-for-7 overall) and Raymond Long (5-for-9 overall).
In addition, Nolan Johnson socked three hits in the nightcap and Camden Heinold delivered two RBI in the second game.
On Monday (May 6), Bergman struck out a season-high 11 batters and garnered the win as M-S dispatched visiting Prairie Central, 13-4.
Bergman allowed four hits and four walks. None of the four runs he allowed were earned.
The offensive attack was led by Randolph, Long, Noah Butler and Johnson, all of whom poked two hits. Heinold and Long both delivered three RBI. Johnson knocked in two runs.
Heinold and Miles Woolsey contributed one hit apiece. Randolph and Woolsey ended with one RBI.
Randolph, Bailey, Long and Woolsey all tallied two runs.
On Thursday (May 2), Bailey blasted two home runs and Max Young hit one homer as the Mahomet-Seymour baseball team blitzed visiting Heyworth, 13-1.
Bailey drove in five runs and Young had four RBI. Randolph collected two RBI and Long knocked in one run.
Bailey and Randolph each finished with two hits. Long, Young, Cade Ashby, Ben Weddle, Starrick and Heinold contributed one hit apiece.
Randolph tallied three runs. Bailey, Heinold and Butler all scored twice. Crossing home plate one each were Tyson Finch, Matthew Orr, Weddle and Young.
Heinold stole two bases.
Kody Ackman (3-1) pitched three innings and earned the win. He walked no one and struck out two batters. Heinold and Henry Wagner each threw a scoreless inning.
On Friday (May 3), the Bulldogs dropped a 6-2 decision at Monticello.
Young (2-2) pitched the first 3 1/3 innings. He walked four and struck out one.
Finch collected two hits. Registering one hit apiece were Heinold, Randolph, Long, Butler and Johnson. Heinold socked a triple and drove in one run.
Scoring runs for the Bulldogs were Long and Orr.
M-S (20-6) returns to action on Monday (May 6) at home against Prairie Central. The Bulldogs ended Apollo Conference play with an unblemished 8-0 league record.
