VAN-FAR BASEBALL ROUNDUP: Van-Far snaps 18-game losing streak, walks off Sturgeon 6-5

By Jeremy Jacob, Sports Editor
Posted 5/2/23

Van-Far picked a good time for its first victory.

The Indians snapped an 18-game losing streak that spanned to last season with a 6-5 win against Sturgeon on Monday at home. Nikos …

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VAN-FAR BASEBALL ROUNDUP: Van-Far snaps 18-game losing streak, walks off Sturgeon 6-5

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Van-Far picked a good time for its first victory.

The Indians snapped an 18-game losing streak that spanned to last season with a 6-5 win against Sturgeon on Monday at home. Nikos Connaway’s fly ball was mishandled in the seventh inning so Van-Far walked off on an error. 

Prior to the final inning, Van-Far (1-14) went back-and-forth with the Bulldogs (5-11) as the Indians finished the game with more hits at 8-7, Connaway went 3-for-5 with three stolen bases, a double and an RBI, and Reece Culwell hit Van-Far’s first home run of the season. 

On Senior Night, senior Ryan Null went 1-for-1 with three walks. Senior Cody Smith allowed five runs (one earned) on six hits and five walks as he struck out six in six innings.  

Smith and Null were honored along with Van-Far’s 11 spring sports athletes, which included baseball, track and field, and golf.

The Indians had a 3-0 lead after a Connaway RBI single in the second inning but were tied in the bottom half of the frame. Culwell’s home run in the third inning made it 4-3 only for Sturgeon to answer in the bottom half of the inning. Sturgeon took a 5-4 lead that was knotted after a Gage Gibson RBI single in the sixth inning.

Van-Far (0-9 EMO) tries to end its Eastern Missouri Conference losing streak of 11 at 5 p.m. Thursday at home against Clopton (5-9, 2-6 EMO).

Indians shut down by Logan, Louisiana 5-1

Van-Far had a solid start with two hits against Louisiana pitcher Jack Logan in the first inning.

That was all the Indians had at the end of Friday’s Eastern Missouri Conference game in Louisiana as Van-Far lost 5-1. Nikos Connaway doubled before Cody Smith drove him in with a single and then Logan struck out 13 and walked nobody in seven innings.

Logan hit one batter and the Bulldogs (3-13, 1-8 EMO) committed two errors, but other than those mistakes, baserunners were hard to come by for the Indians.

Reece Culwell struck out nine in six innings for Van-Far (0-14, 0-9 EMO) while also finishing with five runs allowed on nine hits and two walks. Three of those runs scored in the first two innings.


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