By Fred Kroner
St. Joseph’s unbeaten streak in baseball ended when the Panthers dropped a 5-2 decision at home on Wednesday (Aug. 17) to Tolono Unity.
Both St. Joseph runs were scored in the bottom of the seventh when Finn Miller and Willis Canamore delivered run-scoring singles. They drove in Tripp Palmer and Ryder Van Meenen, who also had singles.
Eli Garrett had a double for the Panthers and Cam Buskick accounted for the team’s other hit, a single. Van Meenen stole two bases. Canamore and Palmer swiped one base apiece.
Buskirk suffered the loss despite allowing just one run in four innings. He scattered two hits, walked two batters and struck out two.
On Monday (Aug. 22), despite two home runs and a double by Canamore, the Panthers suffered a 6-4 loss at home to Champaign Edison.
Canamore knocked in all four runs. Palmer also delivered three hits and tallied two runs.
Starter Nolan Franzen worked five innings, permitting one walk and striking out three batters.
On Tuesday (Aug. 23), St. Joseph snapped its two-game losing streak with a 7-5 triumph at Maroa-Forsyth.
Miller had three hits and stole two bases. Garrett collected two hits and drove in two runs. Canamore also knocked in two runs. Miller and Palmer each crossed home plate twice.
Canamore and Tyler Wright shared the pitching load. Canamore went the first three innings and struck out six. Wright pitched the final four innings, registering three strikeouts.
St. Joseph (7-2) returns to action on Wednesday (Aug. 24) at home against Mahomet-Seymour.
