Jordan Wheeler's Bat Leads Blue Ridge Softball to Victory in Paxton

Score by innings
Blue Ridge  231 030 0  -- 9
PBL            001 010 0  --2

PAXTON, Ill. -- Although she increased her pitching record to 16-3, Jordan Wheeler did not put on a spectacular performance on the mound against Paxton-Buckley-Loda (at least to her lofty standards).

Wheeler struck out seven batters, but also allowed six hits and walked three batters. However, whatever she may have lacked on the mound, she made up for (and then some) at the plate.

Wheeler hit 3-for-4 at the plate with two doubles and drove in five runs as the Lady Knights beat the Panthers 9-2.

Marcie Crawford drove in the first run of the game in the opening inning with a double down the first-base line that barely stayed in fair territory. She sent Jordyn Fones, who led off with an infield single, to home plate.

After Crawford took third base on a wild pitch, Wheeler drove her in with a single to make the score 2-0 in favor of Blue Ridge.

In the second inning, Wheeler hit a two-RBI double that hit the left-center field fence to send home Fones and Crawford. Two at-bats prior to that, Fones drove in T-Ann Crozier, who was running for catcher Jade O'Neal, with another infield single.

Melinda Wilson led off the third inning with an infield single of her own. After reaching second base on a wild pitch and stealing third, she scored a run as Jamison Brandt reached first base on an error.

The Panthers scored their first run of the game in the bottom of the third inning with an RBI double that made contact with the left-center field fence.

After a scoreless fourth inning, each team scored at least one run in the fifth. In the top of the fifth, Wheeler drove in two runs with another double to left-center field.

She sent Kalyn Reynolds and Fones to home plate. Then O'Neal sent Wheeler home with an RBI double of her own to make the score 0-1 in favor of Blue Ridge.

PBL scored when Wheeler walked a batter with the bases loaded. Wheeler retired eight of the Panthers' next nine batters to seal the victory.

With the win, the Lady Knights improve to 22-4. They will host Fieldcrest for what may be their regular-season finale on Friday.

BLUE RIDGE BASEBALL

The Knights held a 7-3 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth inning.

The Panthers, however, scored six runs to take a 9-7 lead. Blue Ridge put a runner on first base with no outs in the top of the seventh, but two consecutive strikeouts and a groundout sealed the deal.

With the loss, the Knights fall to 7-14.