The Sentinel: Spring Sports

Maroons stay perfect with four-inning rout over Peoria Lions

Champaign Central's first-inning outburst rocks host Peoria in conference softball win.

by Ben Robertson
The Sentinel

PEORIA — Champaign Central kept its unbeaten streak alive on Saturday afternoon, overpowering host Peoria 21-0 in a four-inning victory to improve to 8-0 on the season.

The Maroons set the tone early, scoring 10 runs in the opening frame and piling on six more in the second before closing out their scoring with five in the third. Central tallied 19 hits and 16 RBIs in the win, while eight players combined for eight stolen bases.

Senior shortstop Kaitlyn Helm led the offensive effort with a perfect 4-for-4 day at the plate, recording two triples and driving in multiple runs. Helm also crossed the plate four times.

Molly Kloeppel delivered a standout performance, driving in four runs on three hits, including a triple in the first inning and a two-run home run to center in the third. Kloeppel also tripled during the opening frame, contributing to the Maroons' early scoring burst.

Grace Bandy added a triple and a double, scoring multiple runs, while Maisie Bowers went 2-for-3 with a double and three RBIs. Bowers also earned the win in the circle, tossing three hitless innings and striking out five. Peoria was held without a hit across the abbreviated contest.

The Maroons’ first-inning outburst featured extra-base hits from Bandy, Helm, and Kloeppel, a walk drawn by Mya de la Cruz to bring in a run, and an RBI double from Bandy in her second at-bat of the inning. Central continued its production in the second inning with RBIs from Jaila Davis, Kennedy Hedrick, Helm, and Bowers.

Central sealed the win in the third with a six-hit inning, highlighted by Kloeppel’s homer and Bowers’ two-run double.

Champaign Central returns to action on Monday at Mattoon against the Green Wave to extend its perfect start to 9-0.

Unity relay squad finishes 5th at indoor championships

Unity 4x400 girls relay team — **BLOOMINGTON** - Members of Unity's 4x400 relay team pose after running their race at the Illinois Top Times Indoor Championships on Saturday. Running in the Class 2A race, the squad finished two seconds behind Normal U-High and Mt. Zion at 4:12.04 in fifth place. The quartet is composed with Josie Cler, Ashlyn Denney, Grace Wherely, and MacKenzie Pound. Cler, Denny, and Pound also ran in the 4x800 race taking the meet title.

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.

Throwback Thursday | Illinois lacrosse team blasts Mizzou

CHAMPAIGN - Joseph Dodson makes a shot on goal during the Illini's home lacrosse match against Missouri on March 14, 2007. Despite periodic snow flurries and muddy pitch conditions, Dodson led the Illinois club team with six goals and five assists in the 20-5 win. Here is a look back with 38 photos at the match 17 years ago.

Photos: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

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