On to Peoria: Illini Bluffs rallies to earn shot at third straight softball state title

ATHENS — Illini Bluffs might be smelling three in a row.

One run in the eighth proved to be the difference as the two-time reigning Class 1A softball state champions beat No. 6 Carrollton, 3-2, in the Athens Supersectional on Monday.

"Definitely does not get old," Illini Bluffs coach Lindsey Lox said of making her third trip to state in her third year as head coach. "It's still just as exciting. Today was just so emotional to make it back a third time.

"It's just more than I could ever imagine. These girls work hard to do it and I'm so excited."

The No. 4 Tigers (24-5) head back to Peoria's Louisville Slugger Sports Complex and the softball state finals for a fourth consecutive season, facing eighth-ranked Le Roy (32-6) at 12:30 p.m. Friday. IB is making its sixth Final Four trip and fifth in 10 years.

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Sara Finn made sure the Tigers had a shot at a three-peat, hitting her 12th home run of the season in the extra frame. The freshman leadoff hit the third pitch of the at-bat over the center field fence.

"Sara's been really impressive," Lox said. "I knew she would be a large part of our team but as a freshman, she's really gone above and beyond on being a leader in that lead-off spot."

This came after Kennedy Kawolsky singled to score Anabelle Reimer in the seventh. IB had fallen behind 2-1 in the bottom half of the sixth when Daci Walls' RBI single gave Carrollton (25-9) the lead.

The Hawks had gone up 1-0 in the first before IB's Zoe Eeten tied the game when her single to left resulted in her scoring off an error.

Seven of the nine in IB's lineup got a hit with Lilly Hicks and Cora Ellison each recording a double. Ellison went the distance with five strikeouts, two walks and four hits.

"This team," Lox said, "even though, they're young, I just feel that they have always stepped up to the plate when it was needed. ... They just really believe in each other so much.

"... This team is just really great at not giving up and that's one of their best qualities, for sure."

All the scores: 2023 IHSA softball state tournament bracket, schedule, scores, pairings

CLASS 1A: St. Bede 6, Orangeville 1

STERLING — St. Bede rode some hots bats in picking up its second Final Four appearance in four years with a 6-1 victory over third-ranked Orangeville at the Sterling Supersectional on Monday.

The No. 13-ranked Bruins (25-7) now play 12-ranked Goreville (25-13) in the 10 a.m. Friday state semifinal at LSSC. St. Bede last went to the state finals in 2019, finishing third after a 2013 Class 2A fourth place.

Lily Bosnich gave St. Bede 2-0 lead in the second inning thanks to a Little League homer. Her sacrifice bunt resulted in a wild throw into the right field corner, scoring herself and Tessa Dugosh.

Reagan Stoudt added a solo homer in the third, while adding three more runs including a pair via a throwing error on an Emma Slingsby groundout.

IHSA softball state finals

All games at Louisville Slugger Complex, Peoria

Friday, June 2

• Class 1A semifinal: St. Bede vs. Goreville, 10 a.m.
• Class 1A semifinal: Illini Bluffs vs. LeRoy, 12:30 p.m.
• Class 2A semifinal: Beecher vs. Johnston City, 3 p.m.
• Class 2A semifinal: Taylor Ridge Rockridge vs. Effingham St. Anthony, 5:30 p.m.

Saturday, June 3

• Class 1A third-place game, 9 a.m.
• Class 1A championship, 11:30 a.m.
• Class 2A third-place game, 1 p.m.
• Class 2A championship, 3:30 p.m.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: On to Peoria: Illini Bluffs rallies to earn shot at third straight softball state title