Effingham, S. Central Headed To Girls Softball State Tourneys

Effingham Junior High School is headed to the Class 3A State Tournament Friday after winning the Champaign Edison Sectional

Effingham and South Central are headed to State Softball Tournaments Friday and Saturday after claiming sectional championships Saturday.

Class 3A Champaign Edison Sectional

Effingham stepped out to a 1-0 lead on Mahomet-Seymour and never looked back in a game that ended 14-0 via the 10-run rule in five innings.

The Mustangs went full force offensively with 15 hits while Elizabeth Kreke took charge on the mound.

Kreke went the full five innings, allowing no runs on three hits, two walks and striking out eight.

Meanwhile, Liv Koester had two singles, a double and three RBI, Mady Hoffman two doubles and two RBI, Kendyl Smith three singles and two RBI, April Martin a double and an RBI, Kenley Moore two singles and an RBI, Cloie Bailey two singles and Kreke and Mackynzie Hites a single and an RBI each.

The Mustangs improved to 17-1 and will head to the Class 3A State Tournament Friday at Champion Fields in Normal where they will play the final game of the day against Manteno with a 20-1 record at 4:30 p.m. 

In the first three games, Normal Chiddix (20-3) meets Chatham Glenwood (16-0) at 10:30 a.m. followed by Manhattan (11-8) against Edwardsville Liberty (16-5-1) at 12:30 and Stanford Olympia (19-1-1) facing Lake Zurich South (11-0-1) at 2:30.

The winners advance to the semifinals Saturday at 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. The losers  will play for third place at 2:30 p.m .and the winners for the championship at 4:30.

Class 3A Champaign Eidson Sectional

Effingham                             133    34    --    14-15-1

Mahomet-Seymour              000    00    --      0- 3-1

WP -- Kreke. LP -- Dyer.

Effingham -- Bailey, 2 singles; Koester, 2 singles, double, 3 RBI; Hoffman, 2 doubles, 2 RBI; Kreke, single, 1 RBI; Hites, single, 1 RBI; Smith, 3 singles, 2 RBI; Martin, double, 1 RBI; Moore, 2 singles, 1 RBI

Mahomet-Seymour -- Schonauer, single; Carolan, double; Johnson, single

South Central claimed the championship of its own Class 1A South Central Sectional and is headed to the State Tournament.

Class 1A South Central Sectional

South Central played host to Dieterich in the Class 1A South Central Sectional and edged the visitors, 3-2.

The homestanders edged out to a 1-0 first inning lead. Things were quiet until the bottom of the fifth when South Central moved its lead to 3-0.

Dieterich made a comeback bid in the top of the seventh only to fall a run short.

South Central was led in hitting by Emmie Ruholl with two singles and a double, Skylar Webster with two singles and Rylan Williams and Alexa Gile with a single and an RBI each.

Annie Ruholl went the distance on the mound. She gave up 10 hits but allowed only two walks while striking out five.

Dieterich was led by Kensi Stortzum with a triple and an RBI, Lydia Kreke, Claire Faller, Lexie Funneman, Ava Benefiel and Kyla Tegeler with two singles each.

South Central advances with a 20-3 mark and will play the first game of the Class 1A State Tournament at Champion Fields in Normal Friday at 9:30 a.m. The squad will take on Mazon-Verona-Kinsman (14-5-1).

Also competing will be Cambridge (19-0-1) vs. Pleasant Hill (13-3-1) at 11:30, McNabb Putnam County (19-2) vs. Lexington (16-5) at 1:30 p.m. and LeRoy (25-2) vs. Carrollton St. John (16-0) at 3:30 p.m.

At Kinmundy

Dieterich                     000    000    2    --    2-10-2

South Central            100    020    x    --     3-  9-0

WP -- A. Ruholl. LP -- Kreke.

Dieterich -- Kreke 2 singles; Faller, 2 singles; Stortzum, triple, 1 RBI; Funneman, single, 1 RBI; Benefiel, 2 singles; Tegeler, 2 singles

South Central -- Webster, 2 singles; Bolen, single; E. Ruholl, 2 singles, double; Williams, single, 1 RBI; A. Ruholl, single; Gile, single, 1 RBI

Class 2A Casey-Westfield Sectional

Cumberland saw its season come to a close at the hands of Paris Mayo in the Casey-Westield Sectional Saturday.

Paris Mayo was a 9-2 winner in seven innings. Paris Mayo advances to the 2A State Tournament with a 19-2 mark and will meet Metamora at 4 p.m. Friday.

Cumberland finishes the season with a 12-10 record.

Class 2A Gillespie Sectional

St. Elmo/Brownstown fell to Staunton in the Gillespie Sectional Saturday.

Staunton claimed a 10-2 victory in seven innings.

St. Elmo/Brownstown finished its season with a 13-7 record.

Staunton advances fo the Class 2A State Tournament Friday with a 14-0 record and will take on Glasford Illini Bluffs (15-4) at 2 p.m.