January 30, 2026 Local Stories in and Around St. Joseph, Illinois

SJO softball’s senior night set for Monday as Spartans try to end skid

The St. Joseph-Ogden High School softball team will try to end a two-game losing skid and score its first runs in May when the Spartans host Monticello at 4:30 p.m. on Monday.


The Illini Prairie Conference game will also double as senior night for SJO, which will honor Ashtyn Cromwell, Katie Poulter, Hannah Lewis and Savannah Smith prior to the game at 4:15 p.m.


The Spartans played for the first time this past Friday since April 24 after a series of postponements caused by inclement weather, but suffered an 11-0 loss in five innings at Pontiac in Illini Prairie play. S

SJO fell behind 6-0 after two innings and a four-run fifth inning by the host Indians ended the game early. The Spartans only managed four hits against Pontiac pitcher Regan Krause, an Illinois commit. Bailey Dowling went 2 for 2 to lead SJO, while Hannah Dukeman and Smith each added singles. Zoey Witruk took the loss in the pitcher’s circle, giving up seven runs on five hits in four innings, striking out three and walking three.


A day later, despite collecting seven hits against Salt Fork, SJO lost 6-0 at home to the Storm on Saturday in a nonconference setback. The game was scoreless through four innings before Salt Fork pushed across a single run in the fifth and sixth innings to take a 2-0 lead and then plating four runs in the seventh.


Kaylee Ward and Ashtyn Cromwell both went 2 for 3, with Ward contributing a double, while Dowling, Smith and Poulter all singled, but SJO left six runners stranded on base.


Witruk suffered the loss despite only allowing two hits and one run in five innings of work, striking out 13. Hannah Lewis and Sophie Martlage each threw an inning in relief.


After SJO (15-7, 4-3 Illini Prairie) hosts Monticello on Monday, the Spartans are set to play at Olympia at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday to conclude Illini Prairie action before hosting Champaign Central at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday and playing in the Galesburg Tournament this Saturday. SJO is slated to end the regular season at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, May 13 against Charleston before beginning postseason play at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 14 against either Monticello or Warrensburg-Latham in a Class 2A Maroa-Forsyth Regional semifinal game.

Banner
Related Posts

Jacob, Smith help SJO boys’ basketball stay unbeaten

December 15, 2023

December 15, 2023

It doesn’t seem to matter the team. Or the location. All the St. Joseph-Ogden boys’ basketball team is doing through...

Cafarelli, Kern help SJO golf start strong

August 31, 2022

August 31, 2022

The sport to begin during the fall season, the St. Joseph-Ogden High School golf team is off to a rousing...

SJO girls’ track and field wins Spartan Classic, prep for postseason

May 8, 2019

May 8, 2019

Winning meets on their own track has become a consistent theme for the St. Joseph-Ogden High School girls’ track and...

With Illini Prairie title in rearview, Duval and Spartans turn attention to the postseason

February 21, 2024

February 21, 2024

Playing against the likes of Bloomington Central Catholic, Chillicothe IVC, Monticello, Paxton-Buckley-Loda, Pontiac, Prairie Central, Rantoul, St. Thomas More and...

Ward, Cromwell help SJO softball end losing skid

April 24, 2019

April 24, 2019

Losing streaks are never easy to deal with. But thanks to Kaylee Ward and Ashtyn Cromwell, the four-game skid the...

SJO heading to state in boys track and field

June 17, 2021

June 17, 2021

By Jim Cotter After not having any kind of a season in 2020, the St. Joseph-Ogden boys track and field...

McCarty hurls shutout, SJO baseball cruises to win at STM

April 29, 2019

April 29, 2019

Excellent pitching has defined the St. Joseph-Ogden High School baseball team throughout much of its 2019 season. The trend continued...

Christie Clinic Shootout in St. Joseph still on, but SJO won’t play

January 11, 2020

January 11, 2020

The heavy rainfall that hit St. Joseph on Friday night and into Saturday morning, along with the potential for severe...

Panthers on the prowl for state title

May 18, 2019

May 18, 2019

St. Joseph Middle School Head Track and Field Coach Zachary Steele couldn’t be prouder of his team. “We had a...

Get to know SJO Volleyball player Helene Jones

October 31, 2022

October 31, 2022

What do you think makes the team so successful? Everyone on the team is so close outside of volleyball, so...

Meyer, Knott and relays excel for SJO boys’ track and field in Clinton

May 8, 2019

May 8, 2019

The St. Joseph-Ogden High School boys’ track and field team received wins from two individuals and two relay teams to...

SJO softball wins Mattoon Tournament, but fall twice in conference play

April 16, 2019

April 16, 2019

Coaches always are eager to see how their teams respond after losses. For St. Joseph-Ogden High School softball coach Larry...

Cramer, Lannert spark SJO girls’ basketball to fifth at State Farm Holiday Classic

January 3, 2020

January 3, 2020

Close games. Again. Clutch moments. Again. The small-school State Farm Holiday Classic had all of these attributes — and more...

Poe named male student-athlete of the month for August

September 20, 2019

September 20, 2019

Photo by Betty Lake Photography Eric Poe is a leader. St. Joseph-Ogden cross country head coach Jason Retz said Poe...

A field of art

October 17, 2019

October 17, 2019

Call it art in progress. The fans at St. Joseph-Ogden High School always take note of the painted field, endzones,...

Comments
Leave a Reply