ON CAMPUS: Delanie Johnson finishes solid 2-year softball career for Ball State

Ball State University senior catcher and former Streator High School softball standout Delanie Johnson finished her collegiate career this past weekend, smacking a double and driving in four runs in the Cardinals’ 11-8 victory at Buffalo.

Johnson finished the season playing in 39 games (37 starts), hitting .369 (38 for 103) with nine doubles, four homers, 22 RBIs and a .463 on-base percentage. She had 10 multihit games, threw out six of 14 would-be base stealers and committed only one error in 117 chances with only one passed ball for Ball State (37-18). In her two-year career, she played in 61 games (57 starts), batting .342 with 51 hits, 16 doubles, five home runs and 30 RBIs.

The Unversity of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (23-16, 8-6 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) had its season come to a close with a one-run loss in the league’s tournament semifinals. Pitcher Makenna Tkach (so., Marquette) pitched in 34 games (22 starts) for the Pointers, going 17-7 with a pair of saves, six complete games and a 2.34 ERA. She fanned 131 batters in 146 2/3 innings and allowed just a .248 batting average against.

St. Ambrose University (19-12) recently had its season come to a close after dropping two of three games at the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament. Outfielder Jazzy Bowman (jr., Ottawa) played in 28 games (26 starts) for the Fighting Bees, batting .267 (12 for 45) with a double, a triple, five RBIs and eight stolen bases, while infielder Grace Schmitz (so., Streator) appeared in 20 games (13 starts) and hit .333 (10 for 30) with a double, seven RBIs and a .512 OBP.

Baseball

Webster University (33-6, 25-3 St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference - first place) has won eight straight games and will begin a best-of-three game series with Spalding University on Friday in the SLIAC Tournament Championship. Pitcher Ben Kowalski (jr., Ottawa) has made 10 relief appearances for the Gorloks this season and posted a 2-0 record with a save and an ERA of 3.55. He has 16 strikeouts in 12 2/3 innings and opposing batters are hitting just .178.

Monmouth College (17-10, 15-9 Midwest Conference South Division - third place) finished up its season on Tuesday. Infielder Nate Melvin (so., Marquette) played in 17 games (14 starts) for the Fighting Scots, posting a .377 average (20 for 53) with three doubles, 14 RBIs and a .468 on-base percentage, while center fielder Logan Komater (jr., Marquette) started all 27 games for MC, hitting .245 (25 for 102) with five doubles, 17 RBIs and a .401 OBP.

Illinois Wesleyan University (17-23, 12-20 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin) opened the league’s tournament Wednesday at Millikin. Pitcher Hunter Simon (sr., Seneca) has appeared in 11 games (10 starts) for the Titans, posting a 3-2 record and a 5.06 ERA, with 58 strikeouts in 58 2/3 innings.

Illinois College (19-17, 16-8 Midwest Conference) will play in the best-of-three series against host Beloit College on Saturday in the league’s conference tournament championship. Outfielder Peyton Phillis (jr., Streator) is hitting .336 (48 for 143) for the Blueboys with seven doubles, a triple, two home runs, 17 RBIs, six stolen bases and a .436 OBP.

Knox College finished play over the weekend. Outfielder Adam Brown (sr., Streator) played in 17 games (13 starts) for the Prairie Fire, registering five hits, three doubles, five RBIs and six stolen bases.

Aurora University (35-6) begins a best-of-three series against Concordia Wisconsin for the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Tournament Championship on Friday. First baseman Justin Sartori (jr., Sandwich) has started all 41 games for the Spartans and is batting .324 (57 for 176) with 14 doubles, a triple, five home runs, 44 RBIs and a .378 OBP. He has gone hitless in only six games this season.

Rockford University (15-25, 7-13 NACC) recently wrapped up its season after a pair of losses in the league’s South Division Tournament. Pitcher/outfielder Jared Herzog (fr., Ottawa) was named the Regents’ Player of the Week after posting 6 1/3 innings of one-hit ball in an eventual one-run loss to Benedictine University and also received the NACC’s Freshman of the Year Award. He made six starts on the hill this year, going 2-1 with a 3.65 ERA and 44 strikeouts in 37 innings. At the plate, he batted .301, with 10 doubles, a triple, a home run, 21 RBIs and a .415 OBP.

Trinity International University (14-28) recently finished its season. Catcher Andrew Johnson (jr., Somonauk) played in seven games, all starts, for the Trojans, hitting .250 (5 for 20) with an RBI and .348 OBP.

Track and Field

The Illinois Wesleyan University’s Cora Wilkinson (sr., Seneca) finished fourth in the 400-meter hurdles (1:05.11) at the recent Dr. Keeler Invitational hosted by North Central College.

Southern Illinois University women’s squad finished second at the Missouri Valley Conference Outdoor Championships over the weekend. Kayla Schiera (jr., Sandwich) helped the Salukis to the runner-up finish with a second-place mark in the 3,000 steeplechase (10:14.46).

• Brian Hoxsey is a Times sports writer. Write to him at bhoxsey@shawmedia.com.