SPORTS digest

Carroll: PTC split won’t impact Valley Christian

Youngstown

The potential split between the Portage Trail Conference’s Metro and County Division will have little impact on Valley Christian athletics, athletic director Dolph Carroll said.

The Record-Courier reported on Friday the Metro Division superintendents will meet to discuss forming their own conference.

Valley Christian and the rest of the County Division teams don’t play the Metro teams in football and basketball, but Carroll said Olympic sports could be impacted.

According to the Record-Courier’s report, the superintendents’ meeting will be 9 a.m. Monday at the Summit Educational Service Center in Cuyahoga Falls.

“We haven’t heard word from [the County] superintendents,” Carroll said. “Our superintendents were kind of caught off guard on this one.”

Carroll said once the Metro Division makes the decision official, the County Division schools will meet to “map out” their plans.

EGCC splits twinbill with Lakeland

AUSTINTOWN

The Eastern Gateway Community College baseball team split a doubleheader with Lakeland Community College on Friday, winning the first game 8-2 while dropping a 12-7 decision in the nightcap.

Noah Laster, the reigning Ohio Community College Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week, went the distance in the opener to pick up the win, striking out nine, walking just one and scattering 10 hits.

Doug Painter and Hayden Kristophel each had three hits with Painter adding a double to pace EGCC (13-11, 7-7 Ohio Community College Athletic Conference) . The Gators’ 13-hit attack also included two hits with a double from both Grant Williams and Jeremiah Papa.

In the nightcap, Laster and Evan Knaus each homered and had three hits with Knaus and Painter also adding doubles.

Josie Ayala went four innings, allowing three runs on six hits as Logan Torma absorbed the loss in relief.

The two teams will conclude their four-game series today with another doubleheader at noon.

MetroParks announces road closures

YOUNGSTOWN

The following roads in Mill Creek MetroParks will be closed to vehicular traffic as well as cyclists and pedestrians from approximately 6:30 a.m. until noon on Sunday for the Run Y-town 10-Mile Run: Old Mill Drive, Kreider’s Entrance, West Newport Drive, East Newport Drive, Chestnut Hill Drive and East Golf Hike-Bike Trail.

Rain washes out Sharon Speedway

Hartford

The 90th anniversary season opener at Sharon Speedway will have to wait as heavy afternoon rain on Friday forced the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series and RUSH Sportsman Modified event to be cancelled. All pre-sale tickets will be refunded.

The next event at Sharon will be an open practice on Saturday, April 27. Racing resumes on Saturday with the “Buckeye Cup” featuring the first of three appearances by Tony Stewart’s Ollie’s Bargain Outlet All Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Cars along with the non-wing RUSH Sprint Cars. Tickets are on sale for this event.

YSU baseball falls to Milwaukee

Mequon, Wis.

Milwaukee scored seven runs in the fourth inning to seize control and beat the Youngstown State baseball team 18-6 on a cold and windy Friday evening at Kapco Park.

The Penguins held early leads of 1-0 and 4-2 before the Panthers scored 10 runs over the third and fourth innings.

Lucas Nasonti went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, and Trevor Wiersma singled, doubled, walked and scored twice to lead the Penguins offensively. Blaze Glenn, the reigning Horizon League Batter of the Week, hit a solo home run in the first inning and walked twice.

Staff/wire report