The Knoxville Softball Squad will start its season on Tuesday with a trip to Chariton. The Panthers are coming off an up and down season in 2024 that finished up in the class 4A Regional semi-final with a near upset of eventual state champion Carlisle. Most of the roster from last season is back with a couple of key exceptions, pitching. Gone are Ciara Heffron and Charlie Willis to graduation who both combined to win ten of Knoxville’s 11 games last season. In their place will be Jordyn Counts who is coming off a successful tennis season this spring. Counts is not a stranger to the pitching circle, only making one appearance last season in the circle. Coach Chris Peden tells KNIA/KRLS Sports Counts will be the starter on Tuesday in Chariton, and he is excited to see how much her offseason work is going to show

Peden: “She’s out here multiple times a week and working so hard. The growth I’ve seen out of Jordyn and the hard work that I’ve seen has been immense.”

Peden adds offensively, he thinks his team is better already than at the end of last season. Live coverage of Tuesday night’s game can be heard on 95.3 KNIA at 7:15.