St. Joseph Ogden softball wins consolation championship at Rantoul Invitational
By Fred Kroner
St. Joseph-Ogden’s softball team won three games on Saturday (April 2) to capture the consolation championship of the Rantoul Invitational.
The Spartans sprinted past Hoopeston Area, 16-1, Villa Grove, 19-2, and Rockford Auburn, 7-2, after rebounding from a 5-4 loss to Homewood-Flossmoor on Friday (April 1).
Against Hoopeston, Alyssa Acton pitched a complete-game three-hitter. She walked one and struck out five. Acton led the offense with three hits, including a double and a home run. Teammates with two hits were Shayne Immke and Addy Martinie. Both of Immke’s hits were triples.
Against Villa Grove, Maggie Ward went the distance and scattered three hits. She struck out three batters in four innings.
Kennedy Hudson drove in four runs. Picking up two hits apiece were Addison Frick, Hudson, Immke, Peyton Jones and Kelsey Martlage. Immke, Jones and Martlage all scored three runs. Jones and Jacey Lewis had two RBI. Immke stole two bases.
Against Auburn, Immke and Acton shared the pitching duties.
Immke allowed three hits in three innings. Acton fanned two batters in her one-inning relief stint.
Martlage collected two hits and drove in two runs. Ava Northern also had two RBI. Immke and Martinie crossed home plate twice each. Immke and Jones each swiped two bases.
In its Friday loss, SJ-O outhit Homewood-Flossmoor, 10-6, but dropped a one-run decision on a tie-breaking walk-off hit in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Spartans Hudson, Jones, Immke and Martinie all swatted two hits. Immke, who has stolen at least one base in each of the team’s first four games, scored two runs.
SJ-O created a 4-4 tie in the third inning with Martinie, Martlage and Hudson all knocking in runs.
Ward pitched all 5 1/3 innings for SJ-O. She permitted six hits and five walks. She struck out two batters.
SJ-O (5-2) returns to action on Monday (April 4) at home against Bloomington Central Catholic. The Spartans’ first seven games have all been played away from home.
