Softball Recap: Johnston City Makes It Four in a Row at Home

While Johnston City's win against Harrisburg wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Indians sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 7-5 victory over the Bulldogs on Wednesday. The win continues a trend for the Indians in their matchups with the Bulldogs: they've now won seven in a row.

Peyton Johnson spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered five earned runs on 11 hits. She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't given up more than two walks in nine consecutive appearances.

Peyton Smith

Stolen Base

05/07/25 vs Harrisburg	1
05/06/25 vs Zeigler-Royalton	2
05/03/25 @ Flora	2
05/03/25 vs Mater Dei	3
05/01/25 @ Trico	1
+ 8 more games

On the hitting side, Peyton Smith and Makenzie Mowery did most of the damage at the plate: Smith went 2-for-3 with three runs and one stolen base, while Mowery went 2-for-4 with two runs, two doubles, and two RBI. Smith has been hot for a while, having posted at least one stolen base the last 13 times she's played. Adrianna Wilkening also deserves some recognition as she got her first hits of the season.

They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Johnston City kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 14 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least nine hits in four consecutive matchups.

Johnston City's victory was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 14-9. Those home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.5 runs over those games. As for Harrisburg, their defeat dropped their record down to 16-7.

Johnston City and Harrisburg should be looking forward to their upcoming games as both have a sizable advantage in the MaxPreps Illinois Rankings. The Indians (ranked 171st) will meet Zeigler-Royalton (ranked 346th) at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. Meanwhile, Harrisburg will square off against Murphysboro at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday with a big rank advantage (121 vs. 286).