Velasquez-led Chieftains open season with 8-2 victory

FINDLAY – It was a pretty solid debut for Araceli Velasquez in the circle and at the plate Thursday in the season opener for Hopewell-Loudon. Velasquez homered, singled and drove in two runs at the plate, while also notching the win in the circle as the Chieftains started the season with an 8-2 win at Liberty-Benton.Velasquez gave up two runs on four hits in a complete game. She fanned five and walked four on 119 pitches.H-L (1-0) led 8-0 heading to the bottom of the seventh.Brynn Sendelbach added a double, a single and two RBIs for H-L, while Morgan Hoover blasted a home run and drove in a pair of runs and Sidney Brickner and Kacie Flechtner each singled and drove in a run. Senecas ride quick startNORWALK — Calvert plated four runs in the top of the first Thursday en route to dropping Norwalk St. Paul 8-3.Ava Eilrich went 3 for 3 with two runs and two RBIs to key the Senecas.Scarlett Faber added a 2-for-3 day with three runs, Alyssa Rishty singled twice and scored twice and Addison King drove in two runs and singled twice.Gracie Miller doubled, Addie Endicott singled twice, Addison Sheets had a single and two RBIs, Sofia Lee added a single and RBI and Savannah Faber scored.King fanned three over four innings to get the win. Elrich also pitched.Ella Kalizewski hit a solo homer, scored another run and added two singles for the Flyers.Losing pitcher Taegan Mansfield-Bush had a double and RBI, Isabella Guerra singled and scored and Addy Rospert singled. Royals blank TornadoesWynford scored in four of the five innings it batted Thursday, including a six-run fifth to run-rule Columbian 10-0.Brooke Frombaugh paced the Royals with four hits, including a double.Rylee Robinson tallied two RBIs at the plate, while also blanking the Tornadoes in the circle. She went all five frames, giving up a single hit with nine punchouts.Maizie Mellott suffered the loss, giving up eight runs (one earned) on four hits in 4 1/3 innings of work. Wynford took advantage of 10 TC (0-2) errors. Emerson's walk-off 1B lifts RedskinsPORT CLINTON – With the game tied at 11 in the bottom of the seventh, Port Clinton's Olivia Emerson slapped a walk-off single to give the Redskins a 12-11 win over Bellevue.PC led 11-6 after five innings, but Bellevue plated five runs in the top of the sixth to knot things up.Ryleigh Knutti (RBI), Payton Hicks (2 RBI), Ariana Holzhauer (2B, 2 RBI), Mallory Hay and Taylor Waldrup all tallied two hits for the Lady Red (0-2), while Chloe Easterwood singled and drove in a pair of runs.Hay took the loss in the circle, giving up 12 runs on 14 hits with five strikeouts and five walks in six innings. Area trio picked for North/South ClassicMASSILLON — Three local football players have been chosen to participate in the 80th annual North/South Classic All-Star Game on April 26.Area players taking part are Hopewell-Loudon receiver Braylon Martinez, Hopewell-Loudon offensive tackle Will Nutter and Clyde defensive back Kameron Shortridge.Teams are composed of seniors chosen by the Ohio High School Football Coaches Association.The event includes two games, both held at Massillon Washington High's Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.The first game kicks off at 11 a.m. between teams comprised of players in Divisions I, II and III. The second game begins 30 minutes after that and has teams comprised of players in Divisions IV, V, VI and VII.The local trio will compete in the second game for the North.Tickets are $10 and include admission to both games. Tickets can be purchased at the gate an hour before the first game, or online at https://ohsfca.bandmtechnologies.com/tickets.