Baseball Sweeps Mustangs To Claim The Season Series

The Knoxville Baseball Squad ended the week on two high notes sweeping Davis County in a doubleheader which gave the Panthers the season series in 6-4 and 4-3 finals. In game one, the Panthers fell behind 4-1 in the 3rd inning when they committed three errors, but was able to get back on track with timely hitting and the pitching of Luke Spaur going the distance scattering five hits and striking out three. Koby Higginbotham was 3/4 while Trenton Kingery got an RBI. In game two, Beau Leisure fanned 13 Mustangs and allowed just four hits, but errors again nearly cost the Panthers as Davis County took a 3-1 lead in the second inning, but a Trenton Kingery sac fly later on broke a 3-3 tie and put Knoxville ahead for good. Coach Turner Devore told KNIA/KRLS Sports this was a really good couple of wins over the South Central Conference leaders.

Devore: “To get two from the team that’s leading the conference in the South Central and get to really close wins.”

The Panthers are now 13-10 and 7-3 in the South Central Conference. Knoxville hosts Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont on Tuesday.

Softball Puts Up 5 Early Runs And Hold On Over Davis County

The class 4A #13 Knoxville Softball Squad shook off a disheartening loss on Thursday to Pella Christian to defeat class 3A #10 Davis County on Thursday 5-3. The Panthers jumped out on top 5-0 in the first two innings; the big inning was the 2nd as the Panthers scored four runs. The lead held behind the pitching of Jadyn Streigle, who earned the win going five innings and striking out three. Coach Carla Smith told KNIA/KRLS Sports after a heart-to-heart talk, her team showed up ready to play on Friday.

Smith: “The girls ran that conversation and they were taking ownership of their mistakes, and they came with a better attitude and played really well.”

Ashlyn Finarty pitched two innings of relief. Finarty, who celebrated her birthday on Thursday also led the Panthers in hits with two. Brittany Bacorn led in the RBI department with two while Finarty, Emma Dunkin. and Streigle had one each. Knoxville is now 10-6 and will play Norwalk and Collins/Maxwell in the Oskaloosa Invitational today.