Tag Archive for: LaBrae

TIGERS FIND THEIR WAY BACK TO WINNING

LEAVITTSBURG OH-  Howland took care of business Friday, rolling past LaBrae 8-1. The Tigers got after it early, hanging four runs in the first inning. Bode Biggin ripped a single down the line, Dominic Santee followed with a shot to left, Keaton Perry slapped another one down the line, and a dropped third strike let another run score.

Howland kept the pressure on in the third when Aidan Anders drew a bases-loaded walk to stretch the lead to 5-0.

Elliot Gebhardt was locked in on the mound, tossing a complete game. He gave up just one hit and one unearned run across seven innings, striking out four and walking two.

Vince Delvecchio got the start for LaBrae, going three innings and giving up five runs — three earned — on six hits while fanning six.

Howland’s bats stayed hot, racking up 11 hits. Santee did damage in the middle of the order, going 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs. Anders and Luca Fronzaglio each chipped in with two hits of their own. The Tigers also showed some patience, working six walks, and turned a slick double play in the field.

Delvecchio drove in LaBrae’s only run, and Nathan Goldner had the lone hit for the Vikings. Howland gears up to host Cardinal Mooney on Thursday. LaBrae returns to conference play on Monday as they host Liberty.

 

LABRAE LEAVES YOU WANTING MORE

LEAVITTSBURG OH-  Riley Rowe had a day Friday, collecting three hits and dealing in the circle to lead LaBrae past Garfield 6-1 on the road.

Rowe stayed hot at the plate, ripping a single in the fourth, blasting a solo homer to dead center in the fifth, and dropping another single in the seventh to finish 3-for-4.

LaBrae finally cracked through in the fourth, when Leah DeArmitt knocked an RBI single to open the scoring. The Vikings kept rolling in the fifth — Rowe’s solo shot kicked it off, and Vada Allen followed up with an RBI single to stretch the lead.

Rowe was just as nasty in the circle, spinning a complete game one-hitter. She gave up just one unearned run, struck out nine, and walked two.

Olivia Bailey battled for Garfield, going the distance as well — giving up nine hits and six runs (three earned) while striking out nine and walking none.

Morgan Thompson, DeArmitt, Rowe, and Allen each drove in a run for LaBrae, helping spread the offense around.

Bailey was the lone bright spot at the plate for Garfield, going 1-for-3. Garfield also turned a double play, but couldn’t find enough offense to make a dent. LaBrae gets back after it Monday, hosting Liberty. Garfield has a home MVAC matchup on Saturday morning against Liberty at 10:00.

 

LABRAE LAUNCHES FORWARD

NEWTON FALLS OH-  Riley Rowe was in full control Monday, doing damage at the plate and dealing in the circle as LaBrae cruised past Newton Falls 11-1 in five innings.

Rowe went 3-for-4 with a solo shot to center in the fourth, a double in the fifth, and a single back in the first. She also struck out 11 and gave up just one hit and one run across five innings of work.

LaBrae got rolling early. Leah DeArmitt brought home a run in the first with a groundout. In the second, Makenzie Lichty dropped down a textbook bunt to score another, and Patricia Horton ripped an RBI single to center to push the lead.

The Vikings piled it on in the third with doubles from Morgan Thompson and Vada Allen, plus an error that helped tack on more. Rowe’s homer in the fourth kept the momentum rolling.

Thompson chipped in with a pair of RBIs from the heart of the lineup, while DeArmitt, Shelby Bragg, and Allen each racked up multiple hits. All told, LaBrae pounded out 13 knocks and controlled the game from the jump.

Newton Falls managed just one hit—a single from Kylee Lance, who also started in the circle. Lance went all five innings but gave up 13 hits and 11 runs, nine of them earned. These two squads go at it again Tuesday, this time at LaBrae.

 

VIKINGS HAVE FUN ON A COLD DAY

CANFIELD OH- LaBrae softball made quick work of their Saturday doubleheader, rolling past Geneva 9-1 in Game 1 and torching Mooney 13-2 in Game 2. The Vikings flexed their lineup depth and leaned on strong arms to cap off a clean two-win day.

LaBrae broke it open early in Game 1 with a five-run second that put Geneva in a hole they couldn’t climb out of. Riley Rowe started the rally with an RBI double, then Leah DeArmitt and Syrina Gantt-Gargano each roped 2-run singles to stretch the lead to 7-0.

The Vikings were already rolling after Vada Allen opened the scoring with a 2-run single in the first.

DeArmitt handled business in the circle, tossing six innings of one-run ball while striking out seven and walking none. Allen came in to shut it down in the seventh, striking out three to close the door.

LaBrae racked up 12 hits, with Thompson, Rowe, Gantt-Gargano, Allen, and Horton all collecting two hits. Gantt-Gargano and Allen each drove in three, and the lineup showed patience too, drawing five walks. The defense stayed sharp with a double play turned to back the pitching staff.

Game two belonged to Riley Rowe and Shelby Bragg. Rowe drove in four on a double and a triple, while Bragg went a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate with two RBIs to lead LaBrae to a 13-2 win over Mooney.

The Vikings jumped ahead in the first with RBI swings from Thompson and Gantt-Gargano. After Mooney tied it up in the bottom half, LaBrae responded with a four-run second behind a Bragg single and Allen’s 2-run double.

From there, it was all gas, no brakes. Rowe kept raking, and the Vikings piled on with 14 hits. Allen added two more knocks, and the team turned a pair of double plays to stay crisp on defense.

Rowe also spun a gem from the circle—five innings, three hits, two runs (only one earned), and eight strikeouts with zero walks. Next up, LaBrae takes their momentum on the road to Newton Falls on Monday.

PITCHING WINS THE DAY FOR LABRAE

LEAVITTSBURG OH-  LaBrae rode a lights-out performance from Austin Rowe to shut out Champion 3-0 on Wednesday. It was a pitcher’s duel early, but the Vikings found just enough offense to back their ace.

Rowe was straight dealing — seven innings, 10 punchouts, no walks, and just three hits allowed. The kid was locked in from the first pitch and didn’t let up. Complete game, no-nonsense.

LaBrae finally broke through in the third when Owen Boone ripped an RBI single to open the scoring. Boone had himself a day, going 2-for-3 with a couple RBIs to lead the charge. Rowe and Landon Brunstetter also knocked two hits each.

Defensively, the Vikings were airtight — not a single error, with Easton Armstrong holding it down and leading the way with 10 chances handled clean.

Champion didn’t go quietly. Zack Morris did his job at the top of the order, going 2-for-3, and the Flashes turned two slick double plays to keep things tight. Dylan Howell went six innings on the mound, giving up seven hits and three runs (two earned), but didn’t get the run support he needed. Next up, LaBrae heads to Maplewood looking to stay hot.

VIKINGS ROLL AFTER FAST START

LEAVITTSBURG OH- LaBrae’s bats came out hot, and Morgan Thompson was right in the middle of the action. She went 3-for-4 at the plate, helping the Vikings hold off Garfield for an 8-6 win Monday at home.

Thompson wasted no time, ripping base knocks in the first, second, and fifth innings. She drove in two runs in the first to open the scoring, then added another RBI single in the second. Makenzie Lichty followed that up with a three-run double to give LaBrae a quick 7-0 cushion.

Garfield didn’t go away easy, though. Down seven early, they started chipping away in the third. A LaBrae miscue brought in a run, then Emily Knerem and Annie Rado delivered RBI singles—Rado’s knock plating three and making it a ballgame again.

Riley Rowe went the distance in the circle for LaBrae, working around nine hits and four walks. She gave up six runs—but only two were earned—and picked up five punchouts in the win.

Rowe also helped her cause at the plate, notching two hits. Shelby Bragg added a pair of her own as the Vikings stacked up 11 hits on the day.

Knerem was solid at the dish for Garfield, going 2-for-3, and Rado led the team with a pair of RBIs out of the eight hole.

LaBrae jumped out early, but it took grit to hang on. Still, with Thompson setting the tone, the Vikings did just enough to slam the door.

LATE INNING HEROICS SAVE LABRAE

LEAVITTSBURG OH- LaBrae pulled off a gritty walk-off win Monday night, taking down Garfield 7-5 in a back-and-forth battle that came down to the final swings.

Tied at five in the bottom of the sixth, Landon Brunstetter came up clutch, ripping a two-run double to left that gave the Vikings the win and sent the dugout into a frenzy.

LaBrae got on the board in the second after Easton Armstrong punched a single down the right field line and a dropped third strike brought in another run. Garfield answered in the third with a couple of base hits, including an RBI knock from Jared Cardinal to tie things up at two.

Lucas Glaser put LaBrae back on top in the bottom half with an RBI single, but Garfield kept swinging. Aidan Hill roped a triple in the fourth to give the G-Men a 4-3 lead.

Things stayed tight until the sixth, when LaBrae made its move. A passed ball brought in the tying run before Brunstetter delivered the game-winner with his second hit of the day, finishing 2-for-4 with three RBIs.

Owen Boone picked up the win on the hill, tossing a clean inning with a strikeout and no hits allowed. Brunstetter started the game, striking out eight over three-plus innings. Austin Rowe came in for middle relief to keep the Vikings in it.

Hill had a strong day for Garfield, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs, and Cardinal also chipped in two hits. LaBrae heads to Garfield on Tuesday to run it back in Game 2 of the series.

VIKINGS KEEP CHAMPION DOWN

LEAVITTSBURG OH-  LaBrae used a monster second inning to take control and never looked back, knocking off Champion 10-3 on Tuesday.

After Landon Brunstetter knocked in a run in the first to get LaBrae on the board, Champion tied it in the top of the second thanks to a Viking miscue. But LaBrae flipped the switch in the bottom half, dropping six runs to blow the game open.

Austin Rowe, Lucas Glaser, and Ethan Magoulick each knocked in a run with base hits, Vince Delvecchio roped a two-run double, and Nathan Goldner added one more with an RBI single. Just like that, LaBrae was up 7-1.

Brunstetter got the win on the mound, going three innings, allowing two hits and three runs (two earned), with five punchouts and four walks. Rowe came in later and finished it off to grab the save. Champion’s starter, Quinby, took the loss after giving up seven runs on seven hits in just under two innings of work.

LaBrae racked up 10 hits on the day. Brunstetter and Owen Boone each had two hits, while Brunstetter and Delvecchio drove in two apiece. Boone also swiped a pair of bags as LaBrae stole four bases total. They also flashed the leather with a clean double play in the field.

Champion managed just two hits—one each from Sawyer White and Carter Chapin—but made some noise on the basepaths. Zack Morris and Dylan Howell each stole multiple bags as Champion totaled four steals and turned a double play of their own.

Next up, LaBrae stays home to take on Warren JFK on Saturday, while Champion hits the road Thursday for a matchup with Ursuline.

FLASHES FAN LABRAE

LEAVITTSBURG OH-  Gabrielle Gradishar was dealing on Tuesday, punching out 13 as she led Champion past LaBrae 10-0 in six innings at LaBrae High. She gave up just two hits, no runs, and walked only one in a dominant outing.

Sam Strock had herself a day at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a solo shot in the third and a pair of singles in the fifth and sixth. Just pure barrel all game long.

Champion got rolling in the second when Taylor Rouan ripped a double that cashed in two runs. Then in the third, the Flashes opened it up with back-to-back bombs—one from Adalyn McIntosh and another from Strock—to stretch the lead.

LaBrae’s Riley Rowe took the loss, going five innings and giving up eight runs on 10 hits, while striking out six and walking two.

The Flashes finished with 12 hits in total. Jonna Strock and Rouan each had a multi-hit game, and the defense backed it up with clean fielding—no errors, and Josie Perhach handled 13 chances behind the plate.

For LaBrae, Rowe and Makenzie Lichty each knocked a hit, and they turned one double play to stop the bleeding briefly.

Next up, Champion hits the road to face Lakeview on Thursday. LaBrae travels to take on Warren JFK on Wednesday.

BREAKOUT BRUNSTETTER

By Ty Bartell

LEAVITTSBURG OH-  LaBrae junior Landon Brunstetter is preparing for a standout season with the Vikings baseball team. Known for his effective arm and ability to contribute offensively, Brunstetter looks to build on a successful 2024 season.

Last year, Brunstetter was one of only two players to hit a home run for LaBrae, marking his first-ever varsity home run. He also posted an impressive .310 batting average and helped lead the pitching staff with his strong performances on the mound, posting a 2.87 ERA while logging 39 innings of work on the mound, the second most on the team last year. As the 2025 season approaches, Brunstetter remains focused on improving and contributing in both aspects of the game.

Brunstetter has spent much of the offseason working on his pitching, particularly refining his changeup and adding a cutter to his arsenal. His pitching approach is built around staying ahead in counts, managing his arm health, and maintaining mental toughness. He views pitching as a balance of both physical skill and mental fortitude, believing that confidence and focus are key to success.

As one of the team’s upperclassmen, Brunstetter is stepping into a leadership role. He is focused on guiding the younger players while continuing to develop his own skills. The responsibility of leadership has been a growth experience for him, but he is confident in his ability to lead by example and help his teammates succeed.LaBrae’s team is determined to rebound after a disappointing end to last season, and Brunstetter is confident that chemistry will play a significant role in their success. He believes that the

Vikings have the talent and potential to compete, but execution will be key to achieving their goals. With the support of his family and the LaBrae community, Brunstetter is ready to help lead the Vikings to success in the 2025 season. Fans can expect a high level of excitement from this dual-threat player, who is dedicated to improving and contributing in every aspect of the game, while being an example for the community.

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