Spartan softball shuts out PBL
By Fred Kroner
Madison Stevens scattered two hits over four innings on Thursday (April 13) and Amelia Huckstadt completed the 14-0 softball shutout at Paxton-Buckley-Loda with a hitless final inning.
Stevens walked no one and struck out two batters. Huckstadt fanned all three hitters that she faced.
Halle Brazelton pounded three hits and Katharine Short connected for two hits to spark the Spartans’ offense. Brazelton, Short and Shayne Immke all drove in two runs. Brazelton and Addy Martinie each tallied two runs.
On Wednesday (April 12), the Spartans dropped a tough, 2-1, decision at Kankakee Bishop McNamara.
The Spartans, held to three hits, scored their lone run in the top of the third inning when Jones’ single drove in Short. Addison Frick and Sofie Siemsen had the other two SJ-O safeties.
Timera Blackburn-Kelley, pitched all six innings. She gave up seven hits and two runs – neither of which were earned – while walking one batter and striking out three.
On Friday (April 14), the Spartans dropped an 8-1 decision at Mattoon. Jones belted two hits for SJ-O, including a double. Immke drilled a triple.
The Spartans got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the seventh when Short drove in Blackburn-Kelley.
Alyssa Acton pitched three innings and suffered the loss. She registered one strikeout.
On Saturday (April 15), SJ-O completed a grueling four-day stretch where they played games in four different communities with a 9-6 victory at Herscher.
Blackburn-Kelley pitched a complete game, permitting seven hits and two walks while fanning six batters.
Acton and Short each drilled two hits. One of Short’s hits was her second home run of the spring. She drove in three runs.
The Spartans trailed, 5-1, after five innings and didn’t go ahead to stay until putting up four runs in the top of the seventh to snap a 5-5 deadlock. Short’s home run came in the final inning.
Acton and Martinie each pounded doubles in the game.
SJ-O (10-7) returns to action on Monday (April 17) at home against Prairie Central.
