Kendrick Johnson picks up third no-hitter against PBL

By Fred Kroner

Kendrick Johnson was the winning pitcher in his third baseball no-hitter of the season on Thursday (April 13) as St. Joseph-Ogden won at Paxton-Buckley-Loda, 14-0.

After Johnson pitched four hitless innings, Nolan Earley preserved the no-hitter by throwing the final three innings.

SJ-O led, 2-0, after five innings and put the game out of reach with an eight-run seventh inning.

Johnson walked one batter and fanned seven. Earley walked two and struck out three.

Adam Price and Braxton Waller each belted three hits. Tanner Jacob delivered two hits and knocked in three runs.

Luke Landrus also landed two hits, had two RBI and stole a season-high four bases.

Other Spartans with two hits were Maddux Carter, Connor Hale and Caleb Ochs. Earley also socked a run-scoring double.

Hale crossed home plate three times. Scoring two runs apiece were Carter, Landrus and Price. Ochs and Waller each batted in two runs.

On Friday (April 14), the Spartans battered Normal University High, 17-7, at home.

Landrus thumped three hits, including a double and a home run, and drove in five runs. Jacob and Waller each drove two hits.

Earley hit a triple and knocked in two runs.

Price pitched four innings and earned the win. He walked three batters and struck out two. Ochs pitched a hitless final inning and recorded one strikeout.

SJ-O (13-4) puts its seven-game winning streak on the line on Monday (April 17) at home against Prairie Central.