PAXTON – The Paxton-Buckley-Loda varsity softball team lost 18-0 in its home finale to Bloomington Central Catholic on Wednesday.
The loss dropped PBL’s record to 1-19 overall and 0-8 in the Illini Prairie Conference with one nonconference game left in the regular season as of Wednesday.
“Today was a little all over the place, but throughout this season, I feel like we’ve done better as a team,” PBL head coach Lindsay Jordahl said. “Outside of the scores, we’re playing well together. We’re enjoying the game.”
Summer Clark pitched a no-hitter for Central Catholic through the four-inning contest, striking out 10 batters and walking two.
“We’re putting the ball in play a lot more often, which helps,” Jordahl said. “As long as we continue to build on that, we should be fine come regionals.”
Clark yielded no baserunners through the first three innings. In the fourth inning, Mackenzie Swan drew a leadoff walk before Aubrey Busboom drew a hit-by-pitch and Devani McClatchey drew a walk to load the bases with one out.
Clark then struck out Karley Wise and Addison Lavender to end the game.
“These girls are really resilient. They don’t really ever give up,” Jordahl said. “It’s helpful to know that, no matter what the scoreboard says, they’re going to go out and keep playing.”
On the mound, Busboom allowed 18 earned runs on 10 hits and 13 walks with three strikeouts through four innings.
The Panthers will play at Hoopeston Area in the first round of the IHSA Class 2A regionals on Monday.
“Hoopeston’s a strong-hitting team, so we’re really working hard with Aubrey on pitch locations and working her count a little more, and then also just making sure we’re making plays that we can make and keeping ourselves in those games,” Jordahl said. “We don’t always have to make the amazing play, but making those routine outs will definitely help us when we come to Hoopeston.”
Bloomington Central Catholic 18, PBL 0
BCC 30(11) 4 — 18 10 0
PBL 000 0 — 0 0 0
W – S. Clark, 4 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 10 K, 2 BB. L – Aubrey Busboom, 4 IP, 10 H, 18 ER, 3 K, 13 BB.
Central Catholic – A. Campbell 1-3, 3 RBIs, 2 R. L. Warmbir 1-2, 3 R. S. Clark, 2-2, 2 RBIs, 3 R, 2 BB. R. Cook 3-4, 2 2B, 5 RBIs, 2 R. C. Ellis R. K. Stolfa 2-3, 2B, 3 RBIs, R. S. Deters R. A. Gibbs R. L. Wait 1-2, RBI, 2 R. T. Cook RBI, 2 R, 3 BB.
PBL (1-19, 0-8) – Devani McClatchey BB. Mackenzie Swan BB. Busboom HBP.
