Big first leads Norwalk past Madison

MADISON TWP. — The Norwalk baseball team used the strength of a four-run top of the first inning to claim a 6-3 win over host Mansfield Madison in non-league play on Thursday. With the win, the Truckers improved to 11-5 overall ahead of Friday's SBC Lake Division game at Tiffin Columbian. Noah Helton finished 3 for 4 with a double and two RBIs in Thursday's win. Wesley Shupe had a pair of hits, while Landon Ferkel singled and drove in three runs. Greg Keefer went the first five innings on the mound to earn the win. He allowed two earned runs on seven hits with three strikeouts and two walks. Nate King allowed an earned run on two hits with a walk over the final two innings. Norwalk (4-1 SBC Lake) is one game behind Perkins (8-3, 6-0) in the loss column in the league race. Norwalk 400 200 0 — 6 8 0 Madison 010 010 1 — 3 9 0 WP: Keefe; LP: Steagall 2B: (N) Helton; (M) Steagall Willard 11, Port Clinton 4 WILLARD — Four different players had multiple hits as the Crimson Flashes picked up an SBC Bay win at home on Thursday. Roger Whetstone was 2 for 4 with a pair of RBIs, and Dalton Red and Xavier Curtis each had two hits and an RBI for Willard. Adler Ames also had two hits and scored three times, while Jandyel Salazar had two hits and an RBI, and Ezekiel Batrez had one hit and drove in two. Kaleb Weavr allowed four runs (one earned) on two hits with four strikeouts and two walks over four innings to earn the win. Ames pitched the final three scoreless innings and allowed four hits with three strikeouts and no walks. The Flashes visit Edison on Monday in another league game. P. Clinton 003 100 0 — 4 6 2 Willard 701 021 x — 11 11 2 WP: Weaver; LP: Abernathy TENNIS Norwalk 3, Columbian 2 NORWALK — The Truckers improved to 8-6 overall and 7-2 in the SBC Lake with Thursday's home win over the Tornadoes. After losing the first set in a tiebreaker, 7-6 (3), Jeremiah McCreary took the next two sets from Dravyn Dicken (6-4, 6-2) for the Truckers. Brock Siesel swept Carter Swick (6-0, 6-0) at second singles for Tiffin, then Norwalk's Jacob Burger won at third singles over Columbian's Brady Miller (6-1, 6-4). At first doubles, Edward Ramos and Roman Snyder lost to Parker Nye and Liam Randell, 6-4, 7-6 (2). Also for Norwalk, the second doubles team of Levi Dickerson and Jack Pittenger (7-6 (4), 6-3). The Truckers head to the Fremont Ross doubles tournament on Friday. Willard 4, Calvert 1 WILLARD — The Crimson Flashes improved to 12-3 overall and 9-3 in the SBC Bay with Thursday's league win over the Senecas. Jaxson Hall beat Liam Herbert at first singles (6-0, 6-3), while Lucas Winans topped Hannah Spaun at second singles (6-4, 6-2). Willard swept singles as Riley Branham beat Emma Marken at third singles (7-5, 4-6, 10-8). At first doubles, Levi Schag and Mason Dawson beat Owen Link and Dante Frabrizio in a sweep (6-0, 6-0). The No. 2 team of Owen Shepherd and Cullen Escalea lost to Liam Schumm and Drew Moyer (6-7 (5), 6-1, 10-6). P. Clinton 5, Edison 1 PORT CLINTON — The Chargers were swept by the outright SBC Bay champion Redskins (16-1, 13-0) on Thursday. Adin Colbert fell at first singles to Kai Weit (6-4, 6-3), and Kaden Mees lost at second singles to Charley Kruse (6-2, 6-1). At third singles, Peyton Wadsworth beat Mary Moon (6-1, 6-0). The first doubles team of Wade Ruggles and Kellyn Ritchie lost to Evan Lovitt and Zach Speer (6-4, 6-0). Jace Pinkston and Oz Rutger lost to Aero Wymer and Alex DeFreitas (6-0, 6-1).