JUDA - Junior Nicki Becker tossed a three-hitter and blasted a three-run home run to lead the Juda-Albany softball team to a 14-1 five-inning win over Potosi on Thursday.
Juda-Albany improves to 16-2 overall and 11-1 in the Six Rivers East. The Panthers are one win away from at least earning a share of the conference title for the third straight year. If Juda-Albany beats Pecatonica today, the Panthers can earn a share of the conference title.
"One of our goals at the beginning of the year was to win the conference," Juda-Albany coach Bill Davis said. "Winning a conference championship would be quite an honor. Conference championships are about who plays consistent throughout the year. When you get to the end of the year in the tournament, it's about which team gets hot."
The Panthers battled back from a 1-0 deficit with a six-run third inning against Potosi, a Six Rivers West team. Juda-Albany junior Sammi Detra, senior Riley Adkins and senior Alexis Goecks each singled to load the bases in the third. Senior Sara Jordan, who went 2-for-3, then delivered a two-run single. Senior Sayde McDermott then came through with a two-run double to give the Panthers a 4-1 lead.
"Those three hits to start the inning really got us going," Davis said.
Juda-Albany pounded out 12 hits. Senior Riley Adkins went 2-for-2. Juniors Hailey Kammerer and Maddie Roth were each 2-for-4.
"It was probably one of our better performances (hitting) this year," Davis said. "It was a game with some power and a little small ball in there. We are really clicking on offense."
Becker pitched a complete game and gave up one earned run on three hits. She struck out nine and walked two.
There are just three more conference games left, and then the Panthers will play in a WIAA Division 4 regional that includes Belleville, Cambridge, Parkview and Deerfield.
"It will be exciting to play some teams we usually don't play," Davis said.
As the state's third-ranked Division 4 team, Juda-Albany will likely garner a No. 1 regional seed.
"I think we are worthy of a No. 1 seed," Davis said. "I think we should get and will get the No. 1 seed in the regional. Getting into the regional anything can happen. Hopefully, we can stay hot, keep hitting and good things can happen."
Juda-Albany improves to 16-2 overall and 11-1 in the Six Rivers East. The Panthers are one win away from at least earning a share of the conference title for the third straight year. If Juda-Albany beats Pecatonica today, the Panthers can earn a share of the conference title.
"One of our goals at the beginning of the year was to win the conference," Juda-Albany coach Bill Davis said. "Winning a conference championship would be quite an honor. Conference championships are about who plays consistent throughout the year. When you get to the end of the year in the tournament, it's about which team gets hot."
The Panthers battled back from a 1-0 deficit with a six-run third inning against Potosi, a Six Rivers West team. Juda-Albany junior Sammi Detra, senior Riley Adkins and senior Alexis Goecks each singled to load the bases in the third. Senior Sara Jordan, who went 2-for-3, then delivered a two-run single. Senior Sayde McDermott then came through with a two-run double to give the Panthers a 4-1 lead.
"Those three hits to start the inning really got us going," Davis said.
Juda-Albany pounded out 12 hits. Senior Riley Adkins went 2-for-2. Juniors Hailey Kammerer and Maddie Roth were each 2-for-4.
"It was probably one of our better performances (hitting) this year," Davis said. "It was a game with some power and a little small ball in there. We are really clicking on offense."
Becker pitched a complete game and gave up one earned run on three hits. She struck out nine and walked two.
There are just three more conference games left, and then the Panthers will play in a WIAA Division 4 regional that includes Belleville, Cambridge, Parkview and Deerfield.
"It will be exciting to play some teams we usually don't play," Davis said.
As the state's third-ranked Division 4 team, Juda-Albany will likely garner a No. 1 regional seed.
"I think we are worthy of a No. 1 seed," Davis said. "I think we should get and will get the No. 1 seed in the regional. Getting into the regional anything can happen. Hopefully, we can stay hot, keep hitting and good things can happen."
