Both Knoxville Baseball and Softball Squads racked up wins over Chairton last night with the baseball Panthers taking a 7-3 victory and the softball girls dusting off the Chargers 9-0. In the baseball contest, the Panthers got the advantage early with a run in the second inning off of a ground out by Drew Robinson. Knoxville would then score three in the fourth inning taking advantage of walks and errors by the Chargers. The big blow came when Ben Olson ripped a two RBI double to give the Panthers the four run advantage.

Another run came home courtesy of Luke Spaur’s RBI single in the fifth. Chariton would plate three runs to get back in the game in the sixth, but two more runs in the sixth by the Panthers including an RBI single by Olson gave Knoxville insurance runs. Mike Hudson controlled the game for 5 1/3 innings allowing three runs on five hits while striking out six. Panthers Coach Turner Devore told KRLS Sports Hudson was able to keep Chariton off balance and rely on his defense.

Devore:
“Mike is a competitor, and he’s going to give you everything he has, and he had his good command tonight to keep them off balance, and keep our defense in it, and it was a good win.”

Carter Bailey pitched the final inning and a third and struck out the side to close out the game. Knoxville is now 4-6 and will host Davis County tonight. Across the street on Panther drive, the Knoxville Softball Squad had little trouble with Chariton in sending the winless Chargers home with another loss this time a 9-0 setback. Maddy Findley and Ciara Heffron both clubbed home runs as the Panthers pounded out 14 hits while Heffron and Jadyn Streigle combined for a one hit shutout. The Panthers are now 6-3 on the season and 4-2 in the South Central Conference with a final conference game against Davis County tonight.