7 breakout pitchers around the Peoria area this high school softball season

Pitchers have made their mark across the high school softball landscape in 2024.

These seven hurlers have shown incredible consistency throughout the first half of the regular season. Here are seven pitchers having breakout seasons, listed alphabetically with all statistics through Saturday, April 20.

Kylie Black, Peoria Christian

Black has been dynamic this season. Take last week, for example. In three games, the sophomore southpaw went 3-0 and allowed only three hits over 25 innings, striking out 59 of the 90 batters she faced. Black was a strikeout machine, sitting down 16 against Princeville, 25 in an 11-inning win over Midland and 18 against Rock Island Alleman. For the season, she's 5-3 with 127 strikeouts and a 1.45 ERA in 58 innings.

Sutton Centoni, Dunlap

Centoni has emerged as the staff ace for the Eagles. The sophomore right-hander came on the scene in a big way, throwing a no-hitter against Brimfield/Elmwood on April 5. She struck out 12 and walked one in facing 20 batters on 85 pitches. Centoni is 7-1 on the season, having posted 98 strikeouts with just eight walks and a 0.82 ERA in 51 innings. Her top outing has to a 15-strikeout, four-hit performance in a 1-0 win over Washington from last week.

Cora Ellison, Illini Bluffs

There's been no sophomore slump for Ellison. After starting last season's Class 1A state title game, the sophomore right-hander is 5-0 in 37.2 innings with 53 strikeouts, 13 walks and a 1.49 ERA this season. She tossed a no-hitter against Lewistown on April 10, striking out 11 and walking just one in a 12-0, five-inning victory. Ellison has helped her cause, hitting .409 with three triples, two homers and six RBIs.

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Nora Johnson, Metamora

Johnson has picked up right where she left off from her stellar sophomore season. The junior is 14-1 with 101 strikeouts, only eight walks and a 1.64 ERA across 94 innings. She turned in a no-hit effort with 11 strikeouts and two walks in a 5-1 victory over Mid-Illini Conference foe Pekin in mid-April. The righty has allowed no earned runs in four of Metamora's last five games. She's posted three double-digit strikeout games including 14 against Pontiac.

Lainey Klokkenga, Delavan

Klokkenga recorded a milestone this season. The junior righty got her 400th strikeout in winning the Janet Jackson-Passmore Memorial Tournament at Delavan on Saturday. In being named tournament MVP, she struck out 12 in beating Midwest Central/Illini Central, 7-6. She's also been a monster at the plate, including hitting for the cycle with a second homer on Friday. She leads Delavan in batting average (.675), hits (27), home runs (four) and RBIs (23).

Maia Lorengo, Tremont

Lorengo continues her dominance during her senior season. She's been pretty incredible for the Turks including a pair of no-hitters this season. The right-hander struck out 16 on 84 pitches in taking down Route 9 rival Deer Creek-Mackinaw, 6-0, earlier this month. In her other no-no, Lorengo retired 17 hitters via the strikeout in a 4-0 victory over Lexington/Colfax Ridgeview. She has an 11-2-1 record with 144 strikeouts and a 1.05 ERA in 80 innings.

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Meadow Terry, East Peoria

Terry has been so steady this entire season. The senior improved to 5-0 in Mid-Illini Conference action, tossing a complete game in beating Metamora, 4-1, last week. She allowed only five hits, two walks and struck out one, putting EP into sole possession of first place in the M-I. The Lewis University signee has posted a 10-2 record with 81 strikeouts, 16 walks and a 1.36 ERA across 72 innings this season.

Adam Duvall is a Journal Star sports reporter. Email him at aduvall@pjstar.com. Follow him on X.com @AdamDuvall.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: IHSA softball: Peoria-area pitchers having breakout seasons