St. Joseph Baseball split first four games as they open 2023 season

By Fred Kroner

Following two rainouts, the St. Joseph Junior High baseball team took to the field on Saturday (Aug. 12) and dropped a doubleheader at Bloomington Evans.

The Panthers lost 4-0 and 6-5, the latter a game they led 5-4 in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Ike Shelato had two of St. Joseph’s five first-game hits. Teammates with hits were Brock Franzen, Kiptyn Rosenthal and Ryder Van Meenen.

Van Meenen and Owen Wall shared the pitching load, each throwing three innings. In his stint, Van Meenen struck out four and did not allow an earned run. Wall posted two strikeouts.

In Game 2, Trey Divan recorded two of the Panthers’ six hits. Teammates with hits were Hunter Cler, Franzen, Landon May and Wall.

Shelato pitched the first four innings. Carter threw one scoreless inning before Divan worked the last 1 2/3 innings.

The Panthers bounced back with wins on back-to-back days at home to start this week.

St. Joseph topped Paris Mayo, 10-1, on Monday (Aug. 14) and followed up with a 12-0 shutout triumph on Tuesday (Aug. 15) against Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley.

Divan, Rosenthal and Shelato all scored twice against Mayo. Divan socked two hits. Wall had three RBI.

Franzen pitched five innings and picked up the win. He walked one batter and struck out two. Rosenthal and Lucas Barton each threw one inning. Barton fanned all three hitters that he faced.

Against GCMS, Divan fired a two-hit shutout in a game that was ended by the 10-run rule after four innings. He struck out four batters and walked one.

Franzen, Rosenthal, Shelato and Wall all ended with two hits. Shelato knocked in two runs. Divan and Wall each drove in two runs.

Scoring two runs apiece were Franzen, May, Rosenthal and VanMeenen.

The Panthers (2-2) return to action on Wednesday (Aug. 16) at Tolono Unity.