The Sentinel

6 reason to consider a career in home healthcare

Photo:RODNAE Productions/Pexels

(StatePoint Media) -- Over the past 13 months unemployment rates nearly doubled their pre-pandemic levels reported in February 2020, the prospect of starting a new career after age 50 may seem unrealistic. However, industry experts say that it’s actually a great time for those in this age bracket to consider making the leap.

"Whether you’re inspired by the healthcare heroes helping patients on the COVID-19 frontlines or you’re looking to take control over your career and future, the recession-proof home healthcare industry may be right for you," says Jennifer Sheets, president and chief executive officer of Interim HealthCare Inc., which is actively recruiting caregivers nationwide.

Here are six reasons to consider home healthcare at this point in your career:

1. To boost happiness
The pandemic has created new sources of stress and unhappiness for many people. Your career is one area of your life where you can take back some control. And the right career can actually make you happier. Research from The University of Chicago shows that jobs that help and serve others are linked to the most satisfaction.

2. To stay sharp
Brains are like muscles -- they have to be used to stay fit. A change in career flexes your brain “muscles” by encouraging you to learn new things, step out of your comfort zone and stay challenged. Medical experts also believe that staying cognitively active may even reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. With a home healthcare career, every day is different, offering a diverse array of experiences that use every facet of your skillset.

3. To make extra money
In uncertain economic times, earning extra money can make a big difference for nearly every family, and home care careers often allow you to bring in extra income in a way that aligns with your schedule and priorities.

4. To meet new people
Loneliness is tied to depression and anxiety, and it can even have negative impacts on heart health. Unfortunately, the pandemic has exacerbated this issue for many people. A new career that requires getting out and interacting with new people can alleviate some of this.

5. To make a difference
With headlines touting healthcare heroes, you may be feeling the pull toward a career that allows you to give back. Helping individuals who can’t (or shouldn’t) go out due to a high risk of COVID-19 complications is a valuable way to make a difference in your community.

6. To mix things up
There are job opportunities in home healthcare available for people of all backgrounds. However, for those already working in healthcare, this is a path offering an opportunity to get back to the heart of caregiving by providing personalized care to patients, with all the flexibility and autonomy that go with it.

To learn more about the industry and explore job opportunities available through Interim HealthCare, which has been connecting individuals to rewarding opportunities that advance their career for more than 50 years, visit ihcmadeforthis.com.

Time for the next chapter in your career? Consider whether home healthcare is the right step for you.

Knoll's 5th inning triple seals Rocket opening win

Unity's Damian Knoll is tagged out on a play at second base by a Hoopeston Area player during the Rockets' first game of the season. Later, the junior smacked a 3-RBI triple in the bottom of the 5th innning to make the score 11-1 and secured his team's first victory of the season. Next up, the Rockets host Argenta-Oreana on their new turf diamond on Thursday. The first pitch is scheduled for 4pm.

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Are you ready for when your power goes out?

With people still working, learning and shopping from home, everyone must prepare earlier for outages that accompany severe weather.

(NAPSI) -- More Americans suffered extended power outages in 2020 than any year since Superstorm Sandy struck the New York area in 2012, according to Generac, owners of Power Outage Central, a real-time outage tracking service that monitors outages throughout the United States.

Earlier this month, there were three areas in Champaign-Urbana without electrical service thanks to a set of Mylar birthday balloons that came in contact with power lines.

Photo: Artem Podrez/Pexels

Mylar balloons are metallic and conduct electricity, resulting in surges and shorts that can create power outages, start fires, and cause significant damage to the electric grid. Approximately 1,200 Ameren customers were without power for three hours.

Back in November of last year, power was out for about three hours in the south part of Champaign and another area covering Campustown. In eastern Urbana, about 180 customers were without power at the same time. Over 1,500 customers were without power during the incident.

"In 2020, more than one out of three Americans experienced a power outage, and the U.S. power grid suffered more outage hours than it has in years," said Russ Minick, chief marketing officer for Wisconsin-based Generac. "With people still working, learning and shopping from home, everyone must prepare earlier for outages that accompany severe weather."

Outages are statistically much more common than many other threats to the home, according to Generac’s data. In fact, while about 12% of homes are at risk of flooding according to the First Street Foundation’s flood database1, every home is at risk of losing power. Unlike with floods, however, there are multiple ways to safeguard against loss of electrical power.

"There are three key paths to protecting power supply, said Simon Allen, president of Allied Energy, a backup power solution provider in San Diego, Calif. "These include portable generators, which are a short-term solution; home standby generators; and solar energy storage systems. Solar energy storage systems and home standby generators are permanently installed and can provide secure sources of power for longer periods."

Each system requires advance planning, including local permitting and installation, said Allen, but secure power is worth it.

"Life gets very primitive and dangerous when the power is out. With outages lasting longer and occurring more often, all against the backdrop of people working and learning from home, our customers are turning to Generac home standby generators and PWRcell battery storage systems. Effectively, they’re making their homes a sanctuary against Mother Nature’s threats."

Picking the correct solution varies for every homeowner, said Stephen Cruise of Generator Supercenter, a Texas-based provider of power solutions. "A generator will run nearly indefinitely on propane or natural gas," he said. "With correct power management, a solar energy storage system can also power the whole home for extended periods. It comes down to preference, local codes and budget. The best place to start is finding a great local installer who can help make the decision easy."

"Authorized dealers and installers know local codes and are factory trained," said Minick. "They’re experts in local needs and can provide a one-stop solution for every homeowner."

All the resources needed to acquire and install backup power are available at www.generac.com. Prices fit most budgets and vary depending on factors such as the size of home, the electricity needed for backup and preference for solar or generator-based options.

Baker sets hurdles PR, SJO girls snag 9 first at home meet

The St. Joseph-Ogden girls track team took first place in nine events in a home dual meet against Eureka last Thursday.

Haleigh Maddock turned in a 31.10 in the 200m Dash. She was followed over the finish line by teammates Yamilka Casanova (32.32) and Jayci Hayes (32.48) to secure the top three spots on the podium.

SJO's Malorie Sarnecki won the 400m Dash with at time of 1:07:53. The performance was prep personal record for the junior middle distance runner.

In the hurdles, Kaytlyn Baker set a new PR finishing the 100m hurdles at 18.10. In her first meet of the Spring 2021 season against Clinton, the sophomore turned in 18.51 in the event.

Baker also placed second the 300m Hurdles following Ashlyn Lannert over the line at 54.47. Lannert, a junior, won the event with a time of 53.47, just a little under her personal best in the race at 51.53.

The Spartans enjoyed first place finishes in two of the four relay events at the meet.

The Womens 4x100m relay quartet of Atleigh Hamilton, Payton Carter, Raegan Crippen and Macy Reed-Thompson finished more than two second ahead of the Hornets contingent at 52.18 to take first.

The same four Spartans joined forces for another first place finish, this time in the 4x200m relay. The foursome's combined efforts yielded a time of 1:53.13.

Reed-Thompson also earned another gold medal worthy finish taking the top honor in the High Jump. The freshman tallied first place points after her best attempt at 1.49m.

Also earning field event points for SJO, Carter cleared 2.9 meters in the Women Pole Vault for another first place Spartan finish.

Finally, it comes as no surprise that the winner of the Women's Long Jump was 2x Class 1A state champion was Atleigh Hamilton.

The senior cleared 5.23 meters, or 17 feet and 1.91 inches, of sand in her home pit to win the pit. Her best mark in the event, set at the 2019 state championships, is 5.68m (18' 7.75").

The Spartans will host their third meet of the season in a quad event featuring Shelbyville, Judah Christian and St. Teresa tomorrow at the Glenn Fisher Athletic Complex starting at 4pm.

Joining the tech workforce is easier than you might think

(StatePoint Media) -- More than 12 million people are currently employed in tech-related occupations in the U.S., either as information technology (IT) professionals or employees of technology companies. Yet employer demand for tech workers is still strong in many markets and industries, including technology, financial services, manufacturing, retail, healthcare, government and education.

Tech jobs in Champaign County are plentiful at the moment. Technology Services at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is currently accepting applications for three positions on their Managed IT Services teams. Four days ago, Revature was seeking software developers and Niemann Foods advertised an opening for a Network Administrator with a starting pay at $40K annually.

Most people assume that tech jobs require the ability to write computer or application code. Companies are looking for employees who can solve problems creatively as well as help businesses operate more efficiently and profitably.

Photo:ThisIsEngineering/Pexels

The County of Champaign Forest Preserve in Mahomet posted an opening for an part-time IT Technician on April 1. Jeld-Wen in Rantoul recently had an opening for a Senior IT Business Operations Specialist who would support training, data and other technical needs for the company and its business partners.

Unfortunately, misperceptions about tech occupations persist. People assume that in such jobs, you’re relegated to working alone writing software code or that you need to be a math genius or have an advanced academic degree to even get your foot in the door. These misperceptions can discourage qualified candidates from exploring career options in the IT field.

"Today’s IT professional plays a leading role in virtually every business and industry, identifying innovation and technologies that can determine the future of an organization," says John McGlinchey, executive vice president for global certification with CompTIA, a nonprofit association for the IT industry. "Companies are eager to hire people who communicate effectively, are comfortable working as part of a team and are creative in identifying how to use technology to make a business more efficient and profitable."

If you don’t believe technology is a viable career choice, consider all of the things you’ve done today that are made possible by technology

In fact, 62% of executives surveyed for CompTIA’s "Workforce and Learning Trends 2020" report ranked soft skills such as relationship building, persuasion, integrity and confidence with equal importance to hard technical skills when it came to hiring for their tech workforce.

For anyone thinking about a career in tech, the best first step is to learn more about the technologies of today and tomorrow, and the occupations associated with these innovations. Many free resources are available. Here are three examples:

The Future of Tech (www.futureoftech.org) is a growing library of resources on what’s new and what’s next in the world of technology. Topics such as artificial intelligence, augmented and virtual reality, big data and the internet of things are highlighted on the site, which is designed for anyone interested in learning more about technologies that are shaping the way we live and work.

The IT Career Roadmap (www.comptia.org/content/it-careers-path-roadmap) offers insights into a variety of career paths, including tech support, networking, cybersecurity, data and software and web development.

The IT Salary Calculator (https://www.comptia.org/content/it-salary-calculator) allows you to explore salary estimates for different tech occupations at different levels of expertise. The calculator includes salary data from 400 different metropolitan areas covering 85% of the U.S. population, from an IT support specialist in Portland, Maine ($52,750) to a cybersecurity analyst in Portland, Ore. ($101,530).

"If you don’t believe technology is a viable career choice, consider all of the things you’ve done today that are made possible by technology -- from the car you drive and the streaming entertainment channels you enjoy to a telehealth visit with your doctor and the ease and efficiency of online banking," says McGlinchey.

The IT field is no longer a world of pocket protectors and motherboards. With more people using more devices than ever before to stay connected to one another, industry experts say that today’s IT workforce is open for business for anyone with great curiosity, creativity, personality and versatility.

Backed by plenty of public and private cash, Rapid Covid Tests will be in stores soon

by Hannah Norman
Kaiser Health News

Scientists and lawmakers agree that over-the-counter covid tests could allow desk workers to settle back into their cubicles and make it easier to reopen schools and travel.

But even as entrepreneurs race their products to market, armed with millions of dollars in venture capital and government investment, the demand for covid testing has waned. Manufacturing and bureaucratic delays have also kept rapid tests from hitting store shelves in large numbers, though the industry was energized by the Food and Drug Administration’s greenlighting of two more over-the-counter tests Wednesday.

Corporate giants and startups alike plan to offer a dizzying array of test options, most costing between $10 and $110. Their screening accuracy varies, as does the way consumers get results: collection kits mailed back to a lab, devices synced with artificial intelligence-enabled apps on a smartphone that spit out results within 15 minutes, and credit card-sized tests with strips of paper that must be dipped into a chemical substance.

"At-home tests are one of the key steps to getting back to normal life," said Andy Slavitt, a member of the White House COVID-19 Response Team, during a February briefing.

The Biden administration announced in March it will allocate $10 billion from the recently passed stimulus package for covid testing to expedite school reopenings, and earlier said it would invoke the Defense Production Act to manufacture more at-home tests. Separately, the federal government has already sent millions of Abbott Laboratories’ BinaxNOW rapid tests to states, and California, for instance, is giving 3 million of them to its most disadvantaged school districts for free.

Large employers, like Google, sports leagues and the federal government, have already shelled out millions to regularly test their workers. Amazon just received emergency use authorization from the FDA for its own covid test and home collection kit, which it intends to use for its employee screening program.

In February, the Biden administration cut a $232 million deal with Ellume, whose rapid antigen test was authorized by the FDA in December. Paired with an app, the test takes 15 minutes to analyze after a nose swab.

Individuals who want to buy over-the-counter tests can bill their health insurance plans, which are required by the federal government in most cases to fully cover covid tests that have been authorized by the FDA.

Everlywell, based in Austin, Texas, is an at-home diagnostic company that already sells its collection kit to consumers through its website and Walgreens, and will soon offer same-day delivery via DoorDash in a dozen cities. Dr. Marisa Cruz, Everlywell’s executive vice president of regulatory and clinical affairs, said buyers can seek reimbursement from their insurance plans for the kit’s $109 cost. The tests are also eligible for purchase with pretax dollars from health savings or flexible spending accounts, she said.

Even with vaccines, epidemiologists say, rapid tests are desperately needed because more testing, along with mask-wearing and physical distancing, will get people back in offices and classrooms and help catch cases that go undetected. A report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that, of people with active infections, 44% reported no symptoms.

But the market for over-the-counter tests is risky. Demand for testing has plunged dramatically since the height of the winter surge and may not rebound as more people are vaccinated.

'You clearly are at risk of missing the market,' said Michael Greeley, co-founder and general partner at Flare Capital Partners, a venture capital firm focused on health care technology.

But Douglas Bryant, president and CEO of Quidel Corp., remains unfazed, even after the diagnostics manufacturer’s testing demand dropped by about one-third in the past two months.

"The level of testing for people with symptoms and the 'worried well,' who see others getting tested and think they should, too, is subsiding," Bryant said. "But once we start to get more people vaccinated, the government will move from campaigning to get people vaccinated to saying, 'Please test yourself regularly so we can get back to work.'"

Quidel, headquartered in San Diego, recently unveiled its latest test, the QuickVue A t-Home COVID-19 Test, which takes 10 minutes to detect the coronavirus by homing in on specific proteins, called antigens. The FDA authorized the test for over-the-counter use Wednesday, and Quidel plans to announce retail partners in the coming weeks.

The FDA said in mid-March it would speed the pipeline for “screening testing,” including at-home covid tests that don’t require consumers to have symptoms or a prescription.

The Australian company currently ships hundreds of thousands of test kits a week to the U.S. from its factory in Brisbane to large companies and the Department of Defense. It plans to be on the shelves of multiple pharmacies by the second half of the year and in one major retailer in April, said Dr. Sean Parsons, the company’s founder and CEO.

"We are going as fast as we can possibly go," he said.

The main holdup for Ellume has been getting enough swabs for its production line. The company is building a factory in the U.S. to reduce international shipping costs and increase production.

Abbott, which dominates the rapid-test market, said in January it expects to sell 120 million BinaxNOW antigen tests to consumers in the first half of the year. People who take the test now must do so under observation by telemedicine platform eMed. But Abbott received authorization from the FDA this week for an over-the-counter version that won’t require remote observation or a prescription. The test will be available in U.S. stores in the coming weeks, the company said.

Throughout the pandemic, the government has depended heavily on medical device behemoth Abbott’s testing options. The company’s rapid-diagnostics arm alone has snared $673 million in federal contracts to combat the coronavirus, according to a ProPublica database. This includes bulk purchases made by the Defense Department, the national prison system, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the State Department and former President Donald Trump's office.

But antigen tests sometimes report false negatives, particularly among people without symptoms, noted Dr. Jac Dinnes, who co-authored a review of 64 covid test studies. By comparison, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests — generally employed by commercial labs — are more sensitive. PCR tests search for the virus’s genetic material over multiple testing cycles, which magnifies what’s in the swab sample, requiring a much smaller viral load for detection.

Antigen tests are the basis for most at-home screening, but the FDA has also authorized two at-home options — made by Lucira Health and Cue Health — that use molecular processes similar to a PCR test.

"I always like to tell people that it is as easy to use as toothpaste."

Still, many experts support the widespread distribution of cheap, rapid tests, even if they aren’t as sensitive as lab-run alternatives, and see a demand. In Germany, the supermarket chain Aldi began selling rapid tests in early March, roughly $30 for a five-pack, and sold out within hours. One recent study found that if a pack of tests was mailed to every household in the U.S. — even assuming that up to 75% would go into the garbage — they would save thousands of lives and avert millions of infections.

"Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good," said study co-author and Yale University professor A. David Paltiel. "This doesn’t have to work perfectly to make a huge difference."

Some companies are working on rapid-testing options that more precisely read samples, such as Gauss.

The Menlo Park, California, health tech company, which before the pandemic created an artificial intelligence-based app to measure surgical blood loss in real time, aims to harness its expertise to improve on the basic antigen test. It took about a week for CEO Siddarth Satish to raise $30 million of venture capital last October.

Its covid-testing app uses facial recognition software to confirm that test-takers correctly swab their noses. The app provides step-by-step instructions and timers. After 15 minutes, an algorithm based on thousands of sample tests interprets the result — which displays as a colored line, as with a pregnancy test — using the phone’s camera.

Gauss and Cellex, which manufactures the Gauss tests, await FDA authorization. In the meantime, they have produced more than 1.5 million kits and struck deals with supermarket chain Kroger and e-pharmacy site Truepill to sell them for about $30.

"A huge part of the accuracy issue with rapid tests is that you have to visually interpret them," Satish said. "Sometimes you get really faint lines, just like with a pregnancy strip, and there’s some guesswork."

Lucira Health, based in Emeryville, California, uses something called loop-mediated isothermal amplification technology, which is similar to PCR tests in precision. In February, the company went public, raising $153 million largely to fund the manufacturing of its all-in-one testing kit, currently prescribed by doctors across the country. The kit comes with a nose swab and a vial of chemicals analyzed by a hand-held device — taking up to 30 minutes for results.

Kelly Lewis Brezoczky, Lucira’s executive vice president, envisions the test kit on the shelf in local pharmacies, perched next to the NyQuil. "I always like to tell people that it is as easy to use as toothpaste," she said.

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Village of St. Joseph board meeting agenda this Tuesday set

The St. Joseph village board meeting will be held this Tuesday at the Municipal Building at 7pm.

After the motion to approve minutes from April 13 and pay Village bills, trustees will consider approving six items on the April 27 agenda.

The following items are up for discussion and approval:

A MFT Resolution for Maintenance
Approval a contract with Jamaica Fireworks
Approval of the bid for directional boring for the streetlights conduit
A motion an ordinance and policy prohibiting Sexual Harassment
Review and approval a resolution and the employee manual with a drug and alcohol policy
Approval of a resolution accepting the low bid for drainage improvement at Meadow Circle

The board will also hear a report from the Finance, Personnel, & Economic Development Department on the current budget and filling the newly created Village Administrator position.

Members of the community are welcome to express their input. If you plan to attend the meeting, only the side door which enters directly into the Village Board room will be open. The rest of the building will not be accessible during the meeting. Guests are required to observe social distancing guidelines. If you have something that you want to bring up at the Village Board Meeting but do not want to attend in person, you may email the information to tasmetzer@gmail.com. Please include your full name, phone number, and address in the email.

Members of the community may address the Board/Committee by completing the information requested on the Attendance/Oath Sheet prior to the start of the meeting. After state their name and address for the record, speakers will have the floor for a maximum of five minutes to address the board.

Food | Thursday night special: Gluten-Free Barbecue Skillet Pizza

(Family Features) -- Make everyone under your roof their own personalized mouth-watering pizza using wraps and tortillas. Here is a recipe to get you started in creating fresh specialty pizza at home.

Instead of traditional a tradition bread pizza crust, change things up and try this Gluten-Free Barbecue Skillet Pizza with Toufayan Gluten-Free Wraps.

Photo courtesy Family Features

Made from wholesome, all-natural ingredients with no cholesterol or trans fats, Toufayan wraps are easily foldable and are available in four flavors, making them perfect for a one of kind homemade pizza.

Swap out cheeses, add toppings and create a personalized gourmet pizza for the pickiest eater in your dining room for just pennies. Use Toufayan wraps and pita bread to create satisfying award-winning pizza at home.

Gluten-Free Barbecue Skillet Pizza

1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
1 Toufayan Gluten-Free Original Wrap
3 tablespoons gluten-free barbecue sauce
4 cooked sausage links, crumbled
2 cups diced Mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons chopped green onion
fresh Parmesan cheese, for garnish (optional)
fresh fennel fronds, for garnish (optional)
crushed red pepper, for garnish (optional)
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste

Here's how to put all together into a delicious meal or party-time snack:

Heat oven to broil.

Heat cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add 1-2 teaspoons olive oil; spread to cover bottom of skillet.

Place wrap in skillet, brush with barbecue sauce and add sausage, Mozzarella and green onion.

Fry 2-3 minutes, or until bottom of wrap is golden and crispy.

Place skillet under broiler until cheese is melted and bubbly, about 2 minutes.

Remove from broiler, place on cutting board and sprinkle with Parmesan, fennel fronds and crushed red pepper, if desired.

Season with salt and pepper, to taste; drizzle with remaining olive oil, cut and serve.

For more meal and snack ideas visit Toufayan.com.

Prep Sports Notebook: Unity softball wins home opener, SJO volleyball post 17 wins

SJO softball splits DH

Addison Frick went 2-for-4 with 3 RBIs in game two of St. Joseph-Ogden's road doubleheader against Atwood-Hammond-Arthur-Lovington.

Meanwhile, teammate Kennedy Hudson was 3-4 with a pair of RBI of her own in SJO's 10-4 win.

Alyssa Acton picked up the win after facing 75 batters.

The win came after the Spartans dropped game one, 2-1.

Facing pitcher Makenzie Brown, SJO produced just four hits against the University of Tulsa commit.

Sophia Martlage, who scored the team's only run, took the loss for the Spartans surrendering two runs on six hits over six innings.

Henry earns first pitching win for Unity, Rockets settle game in six

Madeline Reed and Hailey Flesch had three hits apiece to give Unity their first win of the season. The Rockets rolled Mount Zion, 13-3 at home.

Thanks to the Coronavirus pandemic, was softball-less for exactly 700 days since the Rockets' softball team last played a competitive inning.

Reed, along with Gracie Renfrow and Taylor Joop booked 2 RBI apiece.

Junior hurler Taylor Henry gave up seven hits on 100 pitches and struck out eight after six innings of play on her way to her first win of the season.

Spartan baseball team remains undefeated

After seven games, the St. Joseph-Ogden baseball team's record remains untarnished by a loss.

The latest victory for the 7-0 Spartans was a sweet one on the road at Teutopolis. Back in 2017, the Wooden Shoes denied the SJO program a Class 2A state championship trophy after a 10-2 win over the Spartans.

SJO's Hayden Brazelton, who went 5-for-5 at the plate, doubled in his first at-bat, singled in the second, tripled in the fourth, singled on his next two trips in the sixth and eighth innings. He led the team with 3 RBI.

Sophomore Ty Pence picked up the win bring the heat in the last three innings of a game that went one extra inning. He struck out four Wooden Shoe batters in his three-inning appearance on the hill.

Teutopolis' Derek Konkel, who took the pitching loss, saw a little more than an inning of action giving up two hits and three runs.

SJO volleyball team finishes on a high note

The Spartan volleyball program finished its spring season with an impressive 17 win, 3 loss record on Friday.

Kennedi Burnett led St. Joseph-Ogden with 6 kills, 1 assist, 3 digs and an ace to close out the season against Teutopolis.

Senior Payton Vallee put away 10 kills and notched five digs as the Spartans powered their way past the Wooden Shoes, 25-21 and 25-14.

Ashley Eldridge had five kills and two blocks.

Frick delivers game-high 3 RBI, SJO splits doubleheader on the road

The St. Joseph-Ogden softball squad split their doubleheader this morning against Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammon.

In game one, the SJO faced Makenzie Brown, the best opposing pitcher the team has seen so far this season. Brown struck out 16 of the 23 Spartans she faced across seven innings to lead her team to a 2-1 victory on her home diamond.

Sophia Martlage winds up for a pitch against the Centennial Chargers. The senior went 3-for-4 and stole two bases in game two of the Spartans' road campaign against the Knights of ALAH.

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Peyton Jones led SJO with 3 hits and plated a run on line drive to right field that allowed Sophia Martlage to score in the 5th inning. Jones added one stolen base and celebrated at double during the non-conference contest.

Down 2-1 at the top of the 6th and struggling to put the ball in play, the Spartans was able to put the ball in play just three more times across to frames.

Despite striking out just two batters, Martlage, who unloaded 47 strikes out of her 60 pitches, gave up two runs on six hits.

With Brown out of the way, game two was a different tale. St. Joseph-Ogden pounded out 13 hits to take the second game, 10-4.

Between the top of the 3rd and the start of the bottom, the Spartans scored seven runs to go up 7-1 on six singles and four walks.

Jones, Martlage, Halle Brazelton, Grace Goldenstein, Addy Martinie, Addison Frick and Audrey Short all scored in the rally.

Alyssa Acton earned the win in game two for SJO after a 75-pitch, five-inning appearance. She struck out three along the way.

The Spartan offense was led by the trio of Martlage, Hudson and Jones with three hits each. Frick, who had a game-high 3 RBI, and Short had two apiece of the team's 13.

St. Joseph-Ogden, who plays at home on Wednesday against Villa Grove, tallied seven stolen bases on the Knights.

SJO softball team picks up another win

St. Joseph-Ogden shortstop Shayne Immke lunges toward a ground ball during SJO's home softball game against Tri-Valley. The Spartans, thanks to a single run plated in the bottom of the third by Addison Frick, pulled out a 1-0 victory on Wednesday to improve their record to 3-1. The Spartans play at home next on April 28 hosting the Blue Devils of Villa Grove.

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks