After a strong 3-1 start to the 2020 middle school softball season, the St. Joseph Panthers ended the season with varying results.
Back on August 27th, the Panthers traveled to Villa Grove and won a lopsided game 21-9. There were several hitting stars for the Panthers in the game, led by Timera Blackburn-Kelley, who went 3-4 at the plate and scored four runs. Thea Smith also had three hits in five at-bats, scoring 3 runs in the game as well. Ashlynn Miller and Mackenzie Atwood each had two hits, while Addalyn Jannusch went 2-4 and scored three runs. Chase Palmer was 1-2 at the plate but drove in three runs for the Panthers in the win. Blackburn-Kelley picked up the win for St. Joseph, with Amelia Huckstadt getting some innings in relief.
On September 2nd the Panthers visited Danville Northridge and were defeated 8-5. Blackburn-Kelley went 3-4 at the plate and scored 2 runs, while Sami Kelso was 2-3 with one run scored. Mackenzie Atwood was 2-3 with a pair of runs batted in, while Thea Smith was 1-3 with 2 runs scored and driving in a run. A six-run fifth inning doomed the Panthers, as Blackburn-Kelley took the loss for St. Joseph.
The next evening, the Panthers hosted Champaign Edison and kept close with the Comets before Edison exploded with seven runs in the top of the sixth inning to put the game away. The Panthers could only muster three hits in the game, those coming from Blackburn-Kelley, Atwood and Katie Ericksen. Amelia Huckstadt took the hard-luck loss for the Panthers.
Following a rainout against Champaign Jefferson on September 8th, the Panthers hosted Unity, a team that had beaten them once already this season, for a doubleheader. The Rockets won the first game handily 12-0 as the Panthers could only scrape out a single hit in the game, that coming from Mackenzie Atwood. Unity scored eight runs in the top of the fifth inning to put the game away. Amelia Huckstadt took the loss for St. Joseph.
In the second game, the Panthers redeemed themselves with a 4-3 win, although the game was tight in the late stages. With a 4-2 lead, Unity scored a run in the top of the seventh but could get no closer. The Panthers only were able to get three hits in the game, those coming from Timera Blackburn-Kelley, Thea Smith and Katie Ericksen. Blackburn-Kelley, Ashlynn Miller, Ericksen and Sami Kelso scored the four runs for St. Joseph, who improve to 5-4 on the season with the win.
The Panthers closed out the season with a win against Bismarck-Henning. The Panthers defeated Bismarck-Henning 14-6.
In the first round of regional play, the Panthers defeated Hoopeston Area 10-5. The Panthers advanced to the regional final and will take on Westville at Westville Saturday at 10 a.m.
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