By Fred Kroner
Alex Brown pitched a seven-inning two-hitter, walking no one and not yielding an earned run on Monday (May 9) as the Villa Grove softball team downed visiting Paxton-Buckley-Loda, 3-2.
Brown (11-6) struck out 11 batters.
Maci Clodfelder scored the tie-breaking run in the bottom of the sixth inning to create the final score. Clodfelder socked her school-record 11th home run of the season and scored two runs.
The previous VG single-season home run mark of 10 was set by Reagan Cheely in 2017. Cheely still owns the school’s career home run mark (19).
Logan Lillard recorded two hits, including a double. Kaylee Arbuckle and Chloe Reardon delivered the Blue Devils’ other hits.
On Wednesday (May 11), the Blue Devils were shut out at home, 6-0, by Paris.
Villa Grove was held to four hits, singles by Emma Bratten-Noice, Brown, Clodfelder and Alison Pangburn.
The loss to Paris snapped an eight-game winning streak for the Blue Devils (17-12), who return to action on Thursday (May 12) at Rantoul.
