Galesburg High School

Ralston leads GHS baseball to third straight win

Galesburg used a late surge and steady relief pitching to secure its third straight victory.

Hayden Ralston hit a go-ahead home run in the bottom of the fifth inning, then recorded the final three outs in relief to lift Galesburg to a 6-5 Western Big 6 Conference win over visiting Geneseo on April 20.

Ralston also went 3-for-3 with a triple, two RBIs and two runs scored as the Silver Streaks improved to 3-4 in the WB6 and 5-14 overall. All three wins during the streak have come in conference play.

Galesburg’s Hayden Ralston hits a go-ahead home run in the fifth inning against Geneseo on April 20. (Photo by Loran Lewis/GCN)

Geneseo took a 2-0 lead in the third before Galesburg responded with five runs in the bottom half of the inning.

Coach Jerome Pickrel said the response showed growth.

“When they got the two runs early, I kind of challenged the guys,” Pickrel said. “Have we grown up? Have we learned? Are we going to just lay down like we did kind of earlier in the season when we got behind? … They answered the bell immediately.”

Galesburg’s Henry Ikrami fields a ground ball at third base during the Silver Streaks’ game against Geneseo on April 20. (Photo by Loran Lewis/GCN)

Ralston’s homer in the fifth put Galesburg back in front 6-5 after Geneseo scored three runs in the top of the inning. He then struck out two in a scoreless seventh to earn the save.

TJ Heatherly pitched 4 2/3 innings, allowing five runs — only one earned — while striking out three. Noah Nalley threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings to earn the win.

Galesburg allowed five hits but committed four errors.

“He still gutted it out and gave us what he had,” Pickrel said of Heatherly. “Today, our offense was able to overcome our errors.”

Nicolas Ojeda drove in two runs for Galesburg, and Easton Pickrel added an RBI. Caleb Claeys and Alfred Ayala each scored a run.

Galesburg’s Grady Hickey is hit by a pitch during an at-bat against Geneseo on April 20. Hickey scored one run in the Silver Streaks’ 6-5 win. (Photo by Loran Lewis/GCN)

Pickrel said defensive consistency remains a focus.

“Just kind of finishing off plays,” he said. “We’re starting to put it all together. We still have a long way to go, obviously. But I like where our mental attitude is, and we’re moving in the right direction.”

Galesburg will play at Geneseo on April 22.

GHS boys track finishes third in Streaks Invitational

Galesburg relied on depth across multiple events to finish third at its own invitational.

The Silver Streaks placed third at the 14th annual Silver Streak Boys ABC Invitational on April 20 at CBI Bank & Trust Stadium, totaling 246.5 points in the seven-team meet.

Galesburg’s Antwon Walker placed second in the C flight triple jump with a leap of 11.23 meters (36 feet, 10 1/4 inches) at the Silver Streak Boys ABC Invitational on April 20.(Photo by Loran Lewis/GCN)

United Township won with 354 points, followed by Geneseo with 269.5. The meet was moved from April 18 because of inclement weather.

Galesburg’s performance was highlighted by a win in the throwers 4×100 relay, a sprint relay featuring field-event athletes, runner-up finishes in the A 4×200 and A 4×400 relays, and multiple top-three finishes in sprints, hurdles and field events.

Demetrius Watson placed third in the A 300-meter hurdles (43.96 seconds) and ran on three relay teams: the third-place A 4×100 and second-place A 4×200 and A 4×400.

“I think I started off in a great spot,” Watson said. “I think I could potentially make it to state in multiple events this year.”

Watson said he hopes to advance in the 300 hurdles, 4×400 and 4×100.

He added that competing against strong programs such as United Township and Geneseo helps prepare for postseason competition.

Watson, a senior, has committed to Monmouth College, where he plans to compete in football and track while studying engineering.

Galesburg’s throwers 4×100 relay team of Cale Johnson, Marquis Horne, Daxton Eastburg and Lavant Ritenour took first in 49.26 seconds.

Galesburg’s Daxton Eastburg placed second in the A flight shot put with a throw of 14.39 meters (47 feet, 2 1/2 inches) at the Silver Streak Boys ABC Invitational on April 20. (Photo by Loran Lewis/GCN)

Eastburg placed second in the A shot put (14.39 meters), Weston Anderton won the B discus (42.65 meters), and Antwon Walker was second in the A high jump (1.85 meters).

Kevin Phillips won the C 200 (23.38 seconds) and placed third in the B 100. Aaron Johnson won the C 400 in a personal-best 54.40.

Shawn Taylor was second in the B triple jump, and Prosper Aremu placed second in the C long jump.

Galesburg’s Weston Anderton won the B flight discus with a throw of 42.65 meters (139 feet, 11 inches) at the Silver Streak Boys ABC Invitational on April 20. (Photo by Loran Lewis/GCN)

Senior jumper Rahkim McCellan was scratched from both the A long jump and A triple jump while dealing with a knee injury.

“I just got to play it cool, just got to keep doing the stretches they’ve been giving me and just keep rehabbing my knee,” McCellan said.

Despite the absence, McCellan praised the team’s balance.

“This team this year surprised me,” he said. “I did not know we were going to be this good collectively. Our team has been very, very deep this year.”

McCellan has also committed to Monmouth College and plans to major in accounting.

Galesburg will compete next at the Metamora Invite at 4 p.m. April 24.

Geneseo sweeps GHS tennis in conference match

Geneseo defeated Galesburg 9-0 in a Western Big 6 Conference boys tennis dual on April 20.

Galesburg’s most competitive match came at No. 1 doubles, where Mohamed Shehata and Carter Bohm fell 6-4, 6-3 to Adam Johnson and Carter French.

In singles play, Bohm had Galesburg’s strongest showing, losing 6-2, 6-1 to Colin Roemer at No. 2 singles.

Timothy Tudengjiacuo won five games in a 6-3, 6-2 loss to Jordan Ramirez at No. 4.

Mohamed Shehata lost 6-0, 6-0 at No. 1 singles, Carson Stecher fell 6-0, 6-0 at No. 3, Mahmoud Shehata lost 6-1, 6-0 at No. 5, and Jackson Warren dropped a 6-2, 6-1 decision at No. 6.

In doubles, Tudengjiacuo and Stecher lost 6-1, 6-0 at No. 2, while Warren and Mahmoud Shehata fell 6-1, 6-0 at No. 3.

Carl Sandburg College

Sandburg splits with Illinois Valley

Carl Sandburg College split a doubleheader with Illinois Valley, rallying late in Game 2 before falling short.

Trailing 7-4 in the third inning, Sandburg rallied behind Chuck Hathaway, who led off with a home run. Veselack later tied the game with a two-out double to center, and after a walk to Snell, Dickerson singled to left to give the Chargers an 8-7 lead.

Illinois Valley tied the game in the fourth, but Hathaway opened the bottom half with another home run to put Sandburg ahead 9-8.

With the game tied at 11 in the fifth, Dickerson reached on an error, moved to third on Allen’s single and scored the go-ahead run on Hathaway’s sacrifice fly. Hill added a leadoff home run in the sixth to extend the lead to 13-11.

Carl Sandburg’s Nathan Hill pitched a complete game in the Chargers’ 13-5 win over Illinois Valley in the first game of a doubleheader on April 20. (Photo courtesy of Carl Sandburg College)

Illinois Valley scored three runs in the seventh to secure the win and salvage the split.

Hathaway went 3-for-4 in the second game with two home runs and three RBIs. He finished the doubleheader 4-for-8 with three home runs, four runs scored, seven RBIs and 13 total bases.

Veselack went 2-for-3 with a double, a walk, two runs, four RBIs and a stolen base in the second game. Allen was 2-for-5 with a double and two RBIs, while Burke Miller went 2-for-2 with two walks and two runs scored.

Sandburg and Illinois Valley were scheduled to complete the series April 21.