St. Joseph bounced back from a semifinal loss on Monday (Oct. 4) in the IESA Class 2A state baseball tournament to salvage third place at the East Side Centre, in East Peoria.

Unbeaten Kankakee Bishop McNamara – which went on to win the 2A state crown – edged St. Joseph in the semifinals, 4-2, before the Panthers rebounded to win their final game in walk-off fashion in their final at-bat, 6-5 over Tremont.

St. Joseph ended the season with a 20-4 record, tying the school mark for single-season wins with the school’s 2018 state championship team.

Asher Pruemer pitched the first two innings of the third-place game, allowing two hits and two unearned runs. He struck out two batters.

Trevor Ames worked the last three innings to earn the victory. He yielded three hits and registered two strikeouts.

The Panthers were held to four hits by Tremont, singles by Luke Smith, Logan Rosenthal, Will Haley and Cam Schluter. Haley scored two runs.

The team’s runs were driven in by six different players: Ames, Jake Carlson, Bryson Houchens, Rosenthal, Schluter and Smith.

In the semifinals of the rain-delayed tournament (from Saturday), St. Joseph took a 1-0 lead into the third inning against McNamara (18-0), before allowing four runs.

Haley had two hits – including a double – and stole four bases. He scored both of the Panthers’ runs. Houchens had one RBI.

In the quarterfinals on Friday (Oct 1), Houchens and Rosenthal teamed up to throw a two-hitter for St.  Joseph against the winningest school among the eight Class 2A qualifiers.

In a game played at the Eastside Centre, in East Peoria, St. Joseph blanked Pleasant Plains, 4-0, for its 12^th consecutive win and fourth straight shutout.

Houchens pitched 6 1/3 innings. He walked three, struck out 10 and gave up one hit. Rosenthal closed out the win, issuing two walks and one hit to go with one strikeout.

The pitchers were backed by an errorless defense.

Ames socked St. Joseph’s only extra-base hit, a double. Smith each knocked in two runs. Ames delivered one RBI.

St. Joseph was limited to four hits. Schluter and Tim Blackburn-Kelley each delivered one hit.

Scoring two runs was Zach Harper. Schluter and Finn Miller crossed home plate once each.

St. Joseph scored twice in the bottom of the first inning and added its other two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Pleasant Plains ended the season with a 22-5 record.

For the year, St. Joseph had 23 athletes playing baseball. Fourteen were eighth-graders.

They were: Trevor Ames, Tim Blackburn-Kelley, Jake Carlson, Will Haley, Zach Harper, Bryson Houchens, Brennan Oleynichak, Gary Page, Branson Pearman, Asher Pruemer, Logan Rosenthal, Cam Schluter, Luke Smith and Hunter Van Meenan.

Seven players earned pitching wins this fall. Houchens was 5-2. Ames was 4-0. Rosenthal was 4-1. Pruemer was 3-1. Page was 2-0. Miller and Schluter were each 1-0.

St.  Joseph’s composite team earned run average for 24 games was 2.01. Among those with the most innings pitched, Houchens had a 1.63 ERA with 63 strikeouts in 43 innings.

Offensively, the Panthers had a cumulative batting average of .398.

Among players with at least 20 at-bats, the top batsmen were Houchens (.548), Ames (529), Haley (.471) and Smith (.328).

Haley had the most stolen bases (35), Houchens had the most home runs (four) and Rosenthal ended with the most extra-base hits (15).

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Prairieview-Ogden registered the highest IESA state finish in baseball in school history on Monday (Oct. 4).

The Mustangs finished as the Class 1A state runners-up, dropping a 6-3 title-game decision to once-beaten Lexington in the finals. The game was delayed by 48 hours due to rain on Saturday at the East Side Centre, in East Peoria.

PVO scored all of its runs in the third inning and carried a 3-1 lead into the fourth inning. Lexington (23-1) went ahead to stay with a three-run fifth inning.

The PVO offense combined for seven hits, including two apiece from Graham Ray and Kodey McKinney. Ray, McKinney and Parker Fitch scored the Mustangs’ runs.

Hayes and Dalton York shared the pitching duties. Hayes worked 5 1/3 innings, giving up five hits while striking out six batters.

In 1 2/3 innings, York recorded three strikeouts.

In school history, four PVO teams have played for IESA state championships and wound up in second place. Sharing recognition as the highest state placers in school history with the 2021 baseball team are the 2020 boys’ basketball team, the 2015 girls’ volleyball team and the 2009 boys’ basketball team.

“Very proud of the team for all they accomplished this year,” said PVO coach Greg Immke, whose 20-4 squad established a school mark for single-season wins.

“We fell one game short of what our goal was that we set the first day of practice.”

PVO had 21 athletes playing baseball this year. The five eighth-graders were: Coy Hayes, Parker Fitch, Vance McComas, Kodey McKinney and Graham Ray.

“We’ve had some strong hitting all season and it was a close game (4-3 score in the title game until the seventh inning),” Immke said. “I feel terrible for the kids, the community and the school.

“As a coach, will learn from this run at the state tournament and try to improve moving forward.”

Two PVO players had hits in all three tournament games: Fitch and Lane McKinney.

Hayes was the catalyst in an 8-2 semifinal triumph over Mount Pulaski on Saturday (Oct. 2). Mount Pulaski finished its season with an 18-3 record and a fourth-place finish.

Hayes slugged a pair of three-run home runs. His first blast helped PVO build a 3-2 lead in the third inning against Mount Pulaski. His second shot was part of a five-run sixth inning, which concluded the game’s scoring.

Winning pitcher Lane McKinney hurled a complete game, striking out nine and permitting four hits.

Kodey McKinney joined Hayes with two hits in the game. One of his hits was a double.

On Friday (Oct. 1), Prairieview Ogden broke a 5-5 tie with a two-run sixth inning and clinched an IESA semifinal berth in baseball for the first time in school history.

In the Class 1A quarterfinals, PVO edged Effingham Sacred Heart, 7-5.

Fitch and McComas each laced two hits against Sacred Heart. One of Fitch’s hits was a home run.

Other teammates to register hits in their state debuts were York, Lane McKinney and Kaden Wedig.

PVO outhit its opponent, 7-5, for its fifth consecutive victory.

Fitch pitched the first 4 1/3 innings, striking out seven and yielding four hits. Hayes finished on the mound and earned the win, allowing one hit in his stint.

Effingham Sacred Heart ended its season with a 14-4 record.

For the season, PVO registered five shutouts, four by Fitch and one by Hayes.

Other squad members with pitching wins this season were Jemesen Ehler, Lane McKinney, Ray and York.

Ten of the PVO wins this season were by margins of at least 10 runs.

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Parker Fitch turned in a dominating performance for the Prairieview Ogden baseball team on Saturday (Sept. 25) as the Mustangs advanced to the Class 1A IESA baseball state tournament for the second time in four years.

PVO also qualified in 2018.

Fitch pitched 6 2/3 innings in the sectional finals against Gifford, a 7-1 win for the Mustangs. He permitted two hits, walked two batters and fanned 15.

Coy Hayes finished the game, retiring one batter without permitting a hit.

PVO scored single runs in each of the first two innings and never trailed.

Kodey McKinney and Dalton York each produced three hits for the Mustangs.

York scored three runs. McKinney drove in two runs and also scored twice. Finishing with two RBI was Lane McKinney.

Fitch has won seven straight decisions and hasn’t allowed more than one run in any of those outings.

PVO (17-3) returns to action in the 9:30 a.m. quarterfinal game on Friday (Oct. 1) against Effingham Sacred Heart (14-3). The state tournament is being held at the Eastside Centre, in East Peoria.

Friday’s winner will play in a 10 a.m. semifinal game on Saturday (Oct. 2). The trophy games will be played later in the day.

The Mustangs, coached by Greg Immke, have won 13 of their last 14 games. The 17 wins is a single-season school record.

“The most important thing that PVO has going on is that the culture of baseball is strong,” Immke said. “When I started (coaching), we had 11 kids that went out.

“This year we had 21. We have kids this year not starting that any other year would be a starter. We are strong one through nine (in the batting order) with several good pitchers.

“At the state tournament, it’s all about matchups and we will try to put our best foot forward and see what happens.”

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For the fourth time in the past seven years, the St. Joseph Junior High baseball team has qualified for the IESA Class 2A state tournament.

The Panthers secured their berth on Saturday (Sept. 25) with a 7-0 win at home over Hoopeston Area in the sectional championship game.

The shutout was the third in succession for St. Joseph in the postseason.

The team (18-3) returns to action in the state quarterfinals on Friday (Oct. 1) at 4:30 p.m. in East Peoria against Pleasant Plains (22-4).

In the sectional finals, Bryson Houchens didn’t get credit for a complete game even though he made every pitch for the Panthers in the game.

Houchens reached his pitch limit after working 6 2/3 innings. He yielded one hit, walked three and struck out nine batters.

Trevor Ames was summoned to finish the game, but before he could throw a ball to the plate, he picked off a runner at first base to end the game.

Houchens received all of the offensive support he would need when his teammates staked him to a three-run first-inning lead.

Ames, Will Haley, Luke Smith and Tim Blackburn-Kelly all belted two hits for the Panthers. Haley’s hits were a double and a triple. He also scored two runs.

Houchens and Asher Pruemer both drove in two runs.

Since 2016, St. Joseph and Teutopolis are the only schools with two title-game appearances in the Class 2A segment of the IESA baseball event. The Panthers won the 2018 state crown and were the runners-up in 2016.

Friday’s winner will play in a noon semifinal game on Saturday (Oct. 2). The trophy games will be played later in the day.

The Panthers are coached by Josh Haley.

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Parker Fitch was the winning pitcher in both games as top-seeded Prairieview Ogden defeated two foes to win an IESA Class 1A baseball regional.

Fitch and Coy Hayes combined to throw a perfect game on Saturday (Sept. 18) in a semifinal game at home, a 16-0 three-inning win over Next Generation.

Fitch struck out five of the six batters he faced in two innings. It was his fourth consecutive start without allowing a run. Hayes fanned the side in the final inning.

Kodey McKinney and Vance McComas each swatted three hits. McComas scored three runs and McKinney ripped two triples.

Fitch, Dalton York, Lane McKinney and Royce Loschen all finished with two hits.

PVO took control with a seven-run first inning.

McComas, York, Lane McKinney and Graham Ray wound up driving in two runs apiece.

On Monday (Sept. 21), Fitch pitched 5 2/3 innings in a 4-1 regional championship-game victory over Schlarman Academy.

He scattered three hits and struck out 12.

Hayes worked the last 1 1/3 innings and didn’t permit a hit.

Kodey McKinney produced two of the Mustangs’ six hits. Hayes stole two bases and tallied two runs.

The Mustangs scored the runs they needed during a three-run fifth inning.

PVO (16-3) returns to action on Saturday (Sept. 25) in a sectional championship game against Gifford (14-4) at Champaign St. Matthew.

PVO has won 12 of its last 13 games, one of which was a shutout over Gifford.

The Saturday winner secures a berth in the state tournament, which starts on Oct. 1 in Peoria.

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For the St. Joseph Panthers junior high baseball team, the IESA Class 2A regional semifinal game looked a lot like the regional championship contest.

Both were wins for the Panthers.

Both were by 12-0 shutouts.

Both were games where the St. Joseph pitchers didn’t issue a walk.

On Saturday (Sept. 18) St. Joseph blanked Holy Cross at home, 12-0. Logan Rosenthal pitched three innings, allowing one hit and fanning two. Trevor Ames worked one inning, yielding one hit and striking out one batter.

On Monday (Sept. 20), Bryson Houchens scattered two hits over four innings, picking up his fourth win in a seven-strikeout performance against Westville.

Leading the offense against Holy Cross was Cam Schluter with three hits.

Schluter drove in three runs. Tim Blackburn-Kelley had two RBI. Luke Smith, Asher Pruemer and Houchens all scored two runs.

The Panthers put the game away with a nine-run second inning.

Against Westville, Schluter, Rosenthal, Ames, Will Haley and Jake Carlson struck two hits each.

Rosenthal, Haley and Carlson knocked in two runs. Rosenthal and Haley scored twice. Ames stole three bases.

In his first two postseason games, Schluter is 5-for-5.

A four-run first inning put St. Joseph in command early.

St. Joseph (17-3) has won nine consecutive games. The last six wins have all been by at least 10-run margins.

The Panthers return to action in the IESA Class 2A sectional on Saturday (Sept. 25) at home against Hoopeston Area (18-2), which scored a 1-0 regional title-game win over Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley.

The winner secures a berth in the state tournament, which starts on Oct. 1 in Peoria.

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Parker Fitch fired his second consecutive no-hitter and helped the Prairieview Ogden Junior High baseball team increase its winning streak to nine.

Fitch pitched 4 1/3 hitless innings on Tuesday (Sept. 7) at home against Gifford in a 5-0 win. The game was called at that juncture by inclement weather.

Fitch was also 2-for-2 at the plate and stole two bases.

On Thursday (Sept. 9), Coy Hayes pitched his second shutout and the team’s fifth as PVO completed its home schedule with a 5-0 win over Bismarck-Henning.

Hayes threw 6 2/3 innings, yielding one hit while striking out 10. Reliever Lane McKinney retired the only batter he faced to finish off the shutout.

McComas totaled three hits. Fitch and Kodey McKinney each swatted two hits. Fitch stole three bases.

On Saturday (Sept. 4), PVO scored in double figures for the ninth time this season, overpowering Villa Grove 14-2 at home.

Jemeson Ehler picked up the win after throwing four innings. He allowed four hits and one walk while fanning seven batters.

Vance McComas led the offensive assault. He was 3-for-3 (with two doubles) and drove in four runs. Kodey McKinney finished with two hits and four stolen bases.

PVO won the Three Rivers Conference with a 10-1 league record.

On Friday (Sept. 10), PVO dropped a 17-9 decision to St. Matthew.

Coy Hayes staked PVO to an early lead, slugging a three-run homer in the first inning.

Dalton York, Casen Goff and Ehler shared the pitching load.

The teams were tied, 8-8, going into the bottom of the fifth inning.

PVO regrouped in its regular-season finale against Next Generation on Tuesday (Sept. 14).

Three pitchers combined to throw a perfect game in a 14-0 triumph. Fitch struck out seven in two innings. Hayes pitched an inning, as did Lane McKinney, who registered a strikeout to end the game.

Hitting heroes were Hayes and Kaden Wedig with two apiece. McComas knocked in four runs.

The Mustangs are 14-3 overall and return to action on Saturday (Sept. 18) in an IESA Class 1A regional semifinal game at Champaign St. Matthew against either fourth-seeded Champaign Next Generation or fifth-seeded Homer Heritage. PVO is the No. 1 seed.

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The Mustangs extended their winning streak to six games on Thursday (Sept. 2), scoring the tie-breaking run in the sixth-inning of a 7-6 triumph at Georgetown.

The teams were tied, 5-5, after five innings.

Coy Hayes picked up his third win of the season, yielding three hits in five innings of work. He struck out nine.

Pacing PVO’s 11-hit attack were Vance McComas, Kaden Wedig, Dalton York and Graham Ray with two hits apiece. Wedig also stole two bases.

PVO (10-2) returns to action on Thursday (Sept. 9) at home against Bismarck-Henning.

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Bryson Houchens has been on a week-long tear for the St. Joseph Junior High baseball team.

In a three-game span from Tuesday (Aug. 31) through Tuesday (Sept. 7), Houchens had six hits in nine at-bats. Four of his hits landed for extra bases and two were home runs. He drove in nine runs during the three-game spree.

On Tuesday (Aug. 31), Houchens, Trevor Ames, Cam Schluter and Asher Pruemer delivered two hits as the Panthers blitzed visiting Salt Fork 10-1.

Houchens and Schluter hit doubles as did Luke Smith.

Smith and Zach Harper each scored two runs.

Pruemer pitched six innings to notch the win. He struck out nine batters and walked one. Gary Page worked a hitless seventh inning.

On Wednesday (Sept. 1), St. Joseph won at Bismarck-Henning 12-3.

Ames and Logan Rosenthal each socked three hits. Houchens and Pruemer had two hits apiece.

Houchens hammered a home run and drove in four runs.

Houchens and Rosenthal both scored three runs. Ames scored three runs, stole three bases and delivered two RBI.

Pruemer and Smith both knocked in two runs.

Four St. Joseph pitchers were called upon and none yielded an earned run. Schluter pitched the first 2 2/3 innings. He was followed to the mound by Finn Miller, Ames and Canamore. Ames recorded three strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings.

On Tuesday (Sept. 7), Houchens played the starring role in a 10-0 win at home over St. Matthew.

He pitched a complete-game, five-inning, one-hit shutout. Houchens walked one and struck out 11.

Offensively, he belted a double and a home run and drove in five runs.

The Panthers were limited to five hits.

Rosenthal drew three walks, stole three bases and scored two runs.

Ames and Will Haley each scored two runs and Pruemer knocked two RBI.

The Panthers are 12-3 overall.

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The St. Joseph Panthers collected a 9-1 baseball win on Monday (Aug. 23) over Champaign Edison, the team’s third straight win.

Bryson Houchens picked up the win. In six innings, he allowed five hits, no walks and struck out seven.

Gary Page pitched the final inning to close out the win.

Houchens also delivered a two-run single in the first inning to get the Panthers on the board.

Houchens and Logan Rosenthal each had three hits. Cam Schluter and Luke Smith contributed two hits apiece. St. Joseph pounded 13 hits in all.

Smith and Trevor Ames drove in two runs apiece.

On Friday (Aug. 20), St. Joseph blanked Jefferson 20-0 in Champaign.

Schluter pitched four innings of two-hit ball, walking no one and striking out five. Finn Miller pitched the fifth inning and retired all three batters he faced.

Houchens knocked three hits. Ames had two hits as did teammates Tim Blackburn-Kelley and Hunter Van Meenan.

Will Haley had three RBI. Ames and Rosenthal also drove in three runs. Van Meenan and Nolan Franzen both knocked in two runs.

On Thursday (Aug. 19), Asher Pruemer pitched a three-inning no-hitter in a 15-0 win at home over Villa Grove. He struck out eight batters.

Finishing with two hits apiece were Jake Carlson, Rosenthal, Houchens, Ames, Smith and Cameron Buskirk. Smith had three RBI.

The Panthers (7-2) return to action on Wednesday (Aug. 25) at Mahomet.

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