By Fred Kroner
Kelsey Martlage became the fifth St. Joseph-Ogden softball pitcher to earn a victory on Thursday (April 14) at home against Paxton-Buckley-Loda.
Martlage fired a four-inning one-hitter, walking three and striking out seven as the Spartans kayoed PBL, 16-1.
She also swatted a triple and knocked in two runs.
Leading the way for SJ-O were Shayne Immke (4-for-4) and Addy Martinie (2-for-2). Both Immke and Martinie slammed home runs. Martinie had five RBI and Immke, who also hit a double, had three RBI.
Alyssa Acton also contributed two hits. Acton and Martinie each registered triples and swiped two bases each.
The game ended on Martinie’s walk-off three-run homer.
Immke scored four runs, Addison Frick tallied three runs – as did Martinie – and Jacey Lewis also scored twice.
The last four SJ-O wins have been courtesy of a different pitcher. Besides Martlage, others logging wins in that span were Peyton Jones, Maggie Ward and Immke.
On Friday (April 15), SJ-O won the championship of the Mattoon Tournament, drilling Robinson, 17-2, in an opening-round game and then following up with a 13-0 shutout over the host Green Wave in the finals.
Against Robinson, Ward recorded five strikeouts in a complete-game pitching victory.
Jones was 3-for-3 while Acton turned in another two-hit performance, including a home run.
Martinie slugged a three-run homer for the second day in a row. Acton had four RBI, Martinie had three RBI and Jones had two RBI in addition to scoring three runs.
Martinie has a team-high five home runs.
Against Mattoon, Acton fired the team’s second shutout of the season. She allowed three hits in six innings, walked one and struck out four.
The offensive attack was paced by Hallie Brazelton, Immke, Jones and Martinie with two hits apiece. Brazelton had three RBI.
Driving in two runs apiece were Acton, Frick, Immke, Martinie and Ava Northern.
Frick (who walked three times) tallied three runs. Immke and Martinie tallied two runs each.
On Saturday (April 16), the Spartans scored in double figures for the fifth game in a row and the 10th time for the season, topping Herscher at home, 11-7.
Immke was one of three Spartans who ripped home runs. She powered her shot on the second pitch she faced in the bottom of the first inning.
Martinie plastered a three-run shot in the second inning which broke a 4-4 tie and lifted SJ-O into the lead for good. Acton swatted the team’s other homer.
Immke ended with four hits. Frick had three hits, including a double and a triple. Jones and Martinie each drilled two hits.
Martinie knocked in four runs and has 14 RBI in her past four games.
Immke has not only had hits in each of the team’s first 17 games, but counting last season, has a 44-game hitting streak. In her last 16 at-bats, she has recorded 12 hits.
Ward pitched a complete-game, walking no one and striking out five. Ward also delivered two RBI.
SJ-O (13-4) returns to action on Monday (April 18) at Prairie Central. The Spartans have a five-game winning streak.
