The Sentinel: SJO Baseball

Spartans' big bats blank Mt. Zion in 11-0 rout, Pruemer polishes another gem

Houchens and Earley combine for 10 RBIs as St. Joseph-Ogden shuts out Mt. Zion 11-0 in five innings.

ST. JOSEPH - Bryson Houchens and Nolan Earley each drove in five runs as St. Joseph-Ogden overwhelmed Mt. Zion 11-0 in five innings on Wednesday in a dominant all-around home performance.

The Spartans struck early and never let up, scoring in every inning and ending the game via the mercy rule after a two-run blast from Houchens in the fifth. Houchens finished 3-for-3 with two singles and a home run to left, while Earley’s three-run shot in the fourth broke the game open at 9-0.

Pruemer, a right-hander, silenced Mt. Zion’s bats over five efficient innings, allowing just one hit, striking out eight and walking one. He faced only two batters over the minimum and got plenty of run support as SJO piled up 11 hits and stole four bases.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Nolan Earley hits an in-field fly during SJO's home game against Westfield. The senior collected 5 RBIs at Meier Field against visiting Mt. Zion.

The tone was set in the first inning when Houchens drove in two runs with a single and Earley followed with a run-scoring double. A bases-loaded walk to Will Haley in the second extended the lead, and Earley’s sac fly in the third made it 5-0.

SJO tacked on four more in the fourth behind a string of hits, including an RBI single by Houchens and Earley’s towering three-run homer. Houchens capped his big day with a no-doubt shot over the left field fence in the fifth.

Haley, Jared Altenbaumer and Earley each recorded two hits for the Spartans. On the bases, Haley, Kody McKinney, Logan Rosenthal and Coy Taylor all swiped extra bags. Defensively, the Spartans played a clean game, committing no errors. Haley led the way in the field with eight chances at his position.

Mt. Zion’s lone hit came from Jackson Beiler, who went 1-for-2. Starting pitcher Andrew Tay took the loss, yielding eight runs on seven hits over 3-1/3 innings with four walks and three strikeouts.

St. Joseph-Ogden improves to 30-2 and will travel to Mattoon on Thursday as they continue their push through the regular season.

Fitch, Houchens lead SJO to 23rd straight win

St. Joseph-Ogden baseball team answers Galesburg’s early strike and never looks back in a 5-1 victory at home. The Spartans improve to 29-2.

ST. JOSEPH — St. Joseph-Ogden found itself trailing early for the first time in several games, but the Spartans quickly erased the deficit and went on to secure a 5-1 win over Galesburg on Saturday, completing a two-game sweep in their annual round-robin doubleheader.

With the victory, SJO extended its winning streak to 23 games and improved to 29-2 on the season. Earlier in the day, the Spartans held off Reed-Custer 9-5 behind timely hitting and strong bullpen work. The back-to-back wins also marked their 12th consecutive triumph on home turf.

Galesburg (12-17) briefly took control by capitalizing on a passed ball in the top of the first inning to score its lone run. Jameson Dickerson, who led the Silver Streaks with a 2-for-3 performance at the plate, crossed home to give his team a short-lived 1-0 advantage.

St. Joseph-Ogden wasted no time responding. In the bottom half of the inning, the Spartans tied the game when Galesburg committed an error, and then took the lead on a Bryson Houchens RBI double to center field. SJO added another run in the third after Kodey McKinney worked a bases-loaded walk to extend the lead to 3-1.

The Spartans padded the score with two more runs in the later innings, while their defense remained steady behind starting pitcher Parker Fitch. The right-hander delivered a complete-game performance, striking out four and walking none over seven innings while scattering five hits.

SJO tallied nine hits in total, with Trevor Ames and Logan Rosenthal each collecting a pair. Ames, Houchens, and Jared Altenbaumer each drove in a run. Rosenthal added two stolen bases to his stat line, while Ames swiped one and scored once.

Galesburg starter Noah Nalley took the loss, surrendering three unearned runs on four hits over 2.1 innings. He walked two and was unable to record a strikeout.

St. Joseph-Ogden will return to action on Tuesday when it hosts Tri-Valley at 4:30 p.m. Meanwhile, Galesburg looks to regroup against Rock Island on Monday, hoping to capitalize on a Rocks team currently in the midst of a three-game skid.

Spartans shut out Unity, finish Illini Prairie season undefeated

SJO defeats Unity 10-0 on the road to clinch the Illini Prairie Conference title behind Pruemer’s shutout and Houchens’ 3-run homer.

TOLONO — St. Joseph-Ogden wrapped up a dominant Illini Prairie Conference season with an emphatic 10-0 shutout victory over rival Unity on Thursday, capping off a perfect run through league play.

SJO pitcher Asher Pruemer

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Spartan pitcher winds up for a pitch against Westville on April 30. The junior hurler picked the win against Unity on Thursday.

The Spartans (27-2) controlled the game from the opening inning and never let up, scoring in four of six innings and leaning on a sharp pitching performance from Asher Pruemer to keep the Rockets (14-10) scoreless on their home field. The win clinched the conference title outright and extended SJO’s winning streak with just days remaining in the regular season.

Pruemer was in command throughout, scattering just two hits while striking out four in a six-inning complete game. The right-hander walked one and faced minimal traffic, thanks in part to clean defense and early run support.

SJO got on the board quickly in the first. After Will Haley drew a walk in his opening at-bat, he scored the game’s first run on Trevor Ames’ two-out single to center. That opened the floodgates — Logan Rosenthal, Ames, and Nolan Earley also came around in the inning to give the Spartans a 4-0 lead.

Unity’s Brady Parr struggled with command, allowing six hits, nine total runs — four earned — and issuing six walks in just 2 2/3 innings.

The Spartans added two more runs in the second behind Kodey McKinney’s sharp single down the right field line, extending the lead to 6-0. But the big blow came in the bottom of the third, when Bryson Houchens crushed a three-run homer to left, scoring Rosenthal and Pruemer to put SJO up 9-0.

McKinney, who went 3-for-3 with two RBIs, drove in the final run in the sixth, plating pinch runner Dalton York to end the game via run rule.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Spartans' Bryson Houchens loads for swing on Normal U-High pitch last month. He has hit home runs in last three outtings for SJO.

Houchens finished with three RBIs on the homer, and also scored twice. Rosenthal and Ames also crossed the plate twice apiece as the Spartans combined for nine hits and seven walks in the contest.

Unity’s lone offensive highlights came from Nolan Remole and Coleton Langendorf, who each recorded one hit, but the Rockets couldn’t generate sustained pressure against Pruemer.

St. Joseph-Ogden now turns its attention to a nonconference home matchup against Reed-Custer on Saturday as the Spartans continue to build momentum for the postseason.

Spartans continue flying high, securing win #24 against visiting Trojans

April 29 |
On this day from the Sentinel

Here is a digest of some of the OurSentinel.com stories we published on this day in the past.

Keegan McCarty: "Everyone has a special meaning"

Going into this baseball season, Keegan McCarty had a long list of personal goals he was set on accomplishing this season.

That dream was interrupted by what appeared to be a temporary postponement to the season, and then weeks later the inevitable cancellation of the entire 2020 season, courtesy of the Coronavirus pandemic.

With Arms Open Wide benefit concert at the Rose Bowl

The Slavic Reference Service at the University of Illinois will be hosting a benefit concert on Saturday at the Rose Bowl Tavern in downtown Urbana.

Starting at 1pm, the concert will feature local bands from a wide range of styles and genres for three and a half hours. Admission is free.

SJO senior spotlights with Josh Sexton, Isaac Walden & Jackson Wooten

Advice from three departing St. Joseph-Ogden seniors in 2020:

Work hard, and to keep plugging away to be successful.
~ Jackson Wooten

Do not underestimate yourself.
~ Josh Sexton

Get all of your homework finished.
~ Isaac Walden

Mediterranean-style diet shown to reduce risk of preeclampsia during pregnancy

Photo: Edgar Castrejon/Unsplash

Following a Mediterranean-style diet during pregnancy was associated with a reduced risk of developing preeclampsia, and Black women appeared to have the greatest reduction of risk, according to new research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.

How much are life and freedom worth?

Most of us have wondered about life beyond the grave. Many today are in search of life before the grave. Given what many people traditionally believe about heaven, eternity and life beyond, it would certainly seem very valuable to think about a life beyond. However, what about life here?

Over 2,000 runners compete in Illinois half marathon

URBANA - LoriKay Paden, from Fletcher, NC, and Urbana's Brenda Hixson stop to pose for a photo while running along McHenry Avenue during the half marathon race at this year's Christie Clinic Illinois Marathon.

St. Joseph-Ogden beats St. Thomas More in IPC game, Altenbaumer picks up the win

Jared Altenbaumer throws smoke for SJO — **CHAMPAIGN** - St. Joseph-Ogden closer Jared Altenbaumer stretches out to unload a pitch during the Spartans' road game at St. Thomas More on Thursday. The senior threw 40 strikes, taking down six batters and giving up no runs in his 58-pitch command on the bump. At the plate, Altenbaumer collected one RBI and scored twice for SJO. The team heads to Jacksonville on Saturday after the 17-5 victory for back-to-back games at the Future Champions Jamboree. SJO takes on Winnebago at 3 PM and Tinley Park Andrews at 5:30 PM.

Johnson working his way back, St. Joseph-Ogden rolls over St. Thomas More

Kenrick Johnson pitching for SJO — CHAMPAIGN - St. Joseph-Ogden's Kendrick Johnson unloads a pitch in the first inning of the Spartans' road game at St. Thomas More on Thursday. Returning to the mound in his first appearance in 18 months, the senior toss 20 strikes in his one-inning 36-pitch debut. Later, the SJO bats were on fire in the fourth inning, leading to a seven-run romp on the way to a 17-5 Illini Prairie Conference win. St. Joseph-Ogden returns to action on Saturday in Jacksonville at the Future Champions Jamboree.

Somewhere under the rainbow at Meier Field

At the plate, senior Braxton Waller tries put the ball in play during a brief moment of sunshine and a rainbow over Meier Field on Thursday after four innings of light drizzle during St. Joseph-Ogden's home baseball game against Mattoon. The Spartans held off a late rally by the Green Wave to win their 29th contest of the season, 7-5. SJO plays at home again hosting the Salt Fork Storm on Saturday at 10am.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks