Senior hurlers Zak Anstine and Bryce Evans got the 2009 Holden High School baseball campaign off to a rousing start last Monday night  as the two combined for a no-hit shutout  downing former conference foe Sherwood, 8-0.
Anstine pitched the first five innings allowing only three walks while striking out 10 Marksmen.  Evans moved over from first base in the sixth and struck out three in his two innings of work.  He also issued three free passes.
Both helped their own cause at the plate as Evans drove in one run in three trips to the plate and Anstine went two for three with a triple and two runs scored.  The big runs batted in (RBI) man on the evening was junior catcher James Hood who also stroked a triple and drove in two runs while scoring one.
“This was a great first game,” praised head Eagle baseball coach David Riley.  “Both Zak and Bryce had outstanding efforts in combining for the no-hitter.  Offensively, it took us a little while to get going, but patience at the plate paid off.”
The Eagles put up single runs in the third and fourth and broke through in the fifth with four.  They scored two more in the sixth to round out the scoring.
Other Holden batters contributing to the shutout included senior left fielder Andrew Williams, two for four with a double and one run scored; senior center fielder A.J. Langston, one for two with an RBI and a run scored; senior third baseman David Lerda, one for three with a run scored; Jared Anstine, one run scored; Trevor Yancey, one for two; sophomore shortstop Kyle Elkins, one for two with an RBI; and sophomore right fielder Jimmy Bryant, one run scored.
On the defensive side, Elkins also turned a nifty double play started by Lerda; and Williams stretched out for a diving catch in left centerfield.
Eagles 5 Warsaw 4
The Eagles followed up their opening-night win with another Thursday as they edged the Wildcats from Warsaw, 5-4 in an eight-inning contest.
The game had originally been scheduled to be played at Warsaw, but transportation problems caused a switch to Eagle Field.
Holden fell behind by a 3-1 score at the end of three and were behind 4-1 after six before roaring back in the seventh to tie the contest at 4-4.  The Eagles scored one in the eighth and watched Z. Anstine set the Wildcats down in order in the bottom of the inning to win by one run.
Four Holden pitchers combined to give up only one earned run on three hits while striking out 11.  The Eagle defense was a little spotty in the game giving up four errors to contribute to the three unearned runs.
Hood got the starting nod and pitched three innings giving up no hits and six walks while striking out seven.  Williams came on in the fourth and patrolled the mound for three innings allowing two hits and one earned run while fanning three.  He didn’t allow a base-on-balls.  Evans picked up the win for his one inning of work in the seventh, giving up only one hit.  Anstine earned his first save of the year for his work in the eighth inning.  He struck out one to give him 11 KOs in six innings of work this season.
Coach Riley spoke on the importance of the win considering Warsaw and Holden play in the same district (Class 3, District 9).  “This win was very important for district seeding later on,” he explained.  “Their pitcher did a good job of keeping us off-balance, but our kids fought and clawed their way to a win after being down by three with two outs in the last inning.  They showed tremendous resolve to come back and gat a win.  Our pitching staff really came through and Zak (Anstine) came in and shut the door when we got the lead in the eighth.  2-0 is a great start.”
Offensively, the Eagles were led by Z. Anstine, Langston and Evans who had two hits apiece.  Lerda and Crosby Coleman both collected one each.  Langston and Evans drove in one run apiece and Z. Anstine, Hood and Elkins all scored runs in the win.
The Eagles are scheduled to travel to Lexington today (Thursday) to take on the Minutemen in a Missouri River Valley East Conference matchup.  Their first league game was to have been Monday night against Knob Noster, but it was postponed due to field conditions.  Monday, April 6, the Eagles are scheduled to play host to Richmond beginning at 4:30 p.m. at Eagle Field.


Lady Eagle basketball standouts Valerie Lambert and Kelsey Carver led a group of six Holden High School girls’ cage competitors in receiving post-season athletic and academic honors.
The senior Lambert and sophomore Carver were both chosen to the Missouri Class 3, District 14 All-District Team as well as the KMZU Radio Dream Team.
Lambert was selected on the Missouri River Valley East All-Conference’s first team, while Carver joined senior Stacey Calhoun on the league’s second team.
Named to the MRVC East’s Academic All-Conference team were Lambert, Calhoun, Carver, senior Calla Burden, junior Dani Jo Riley and sophomore Kelsey Holmes.
The girls led the Lady Eagles to an MRVC East conference championship as well as a district championship.  The team finished with a 21-5 overall season record.

Senior Zach Lavely and sophomores Jacob Reiman and Stephen Parker were recently chosen to the Missouri River Valley East All-Conference Wrestling Team for 2008-2009.
All three competitors were selected on the league’s second team.
Reiman finished third in the Missouri State Wrestling Tournament in his weight class as well as being a co-captain of the grappling squad.  The two-year varsity letterman finished fourth in the MRVC Conference Championships and was a District Champion.
Lavely, another co-captain, is a three-year varsity letterman who finished third place in the district and sixth-place at the state meet.
The two-year letterman Parker placed fourth in the district meet and was a state qualifier.


Kingsville High School boys and girls’ basketball players were recently given post-season honors.
On the boys team, which went 19-9 and won their conference and district championships, Ryan Bishop and Levi McKiddy were both selected to their All-District and All-Conference first teams.  Dane Ross was named to the second team on both all-star lists.  Bishop and McKiddy were also named members of the KMZU Dream Team.
Lady Tigers Kaylee Herring and Alie Hawley were both named to the All-District Team, while Herring earned All-Conference second-team honors.
Both of the players were also named to the KMZU Dream Team.