A pitcher’s duel and a blowout highlighted Knoxville Baseball and Softball visits to Centerville on Friday night. The softball game was the pitcher’s duel as the game was scoreless until the 11th inning when Knoxville broke through. After back-to-back singles by Anna Anderson and Ciara Heffron to start the inning Addi Dunkin ripped a double to score Anderson, then two batters later…sister Hannah scored Addi on a sacrifice fly to make it 2-0 and two was just enough as the Panthers allowed a run to the Redettes in the bottom of the 11th and Heffron shut the door with the save while Charlye Willis went the first ten innings to get the win. Willis, Anderson, and Heffron all had two hits for the Panthers. Coach Chris Peden tells KNIA/KRLS Sports…he is pleased with the buy-in form the entire team.

Peden: “They want to be there, they want to succeed. Any tidbit my assistant coaches give them, they grasp that and want more, even the stuff they’re doing well, they want to know how they can get to the next level, and that’s what I’m loving about this team and it’s great to see.”

Baseball was a part of the blowout, after coming away with a disappointing split Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont on Thursday, the Panthers took out their frustrations against Centerville to a tune of 18–0, sending everyone home early after five innings. Kyler Gifford got the win going four innings allowing just three hits. Coach Turner Devore told KNIA/KRLS Sports, Centerville issued a lot of walks as the Big Reds were out of pitching. Knoxville Softball is now 3-2 and 3-0 in the South Central Conference play while baseball is back above .500 at 5-4r and 5-1 in the conference play. Both Knoxville squads travel to Chariton on Monday.