On to the sectional: Two Peoria baseball teams headed to the Class 3A round of 32
Led by one surprise team and another favorite, here are the Peoria-area Class 3A baseball teams that won Illinois High School Association regional titles on Saturday and advanced to the Metamora Sectional next week:
2023 IHSA baseball brackets: Peoria-area postseason schedules, scores and pairings
CLASS 3A
Richwoods
How they won: Richwoods used a three-run seventh inning to beat Limestone, 5-4 for the Washington Regional title on Saturday. The Knights (8-23) were seeded seventh in the sub-sectional, knocking off top-seed Washington in the semifinals, then beating the No. 4 Rockets. Down 3-2 heading into the final frame, the Knights mounted their comeback off the bat of Alex Kilgore. The No. 3 hitter roped a double to left, scoring Chase Klausing, who led off the frame with a single, and tied the game at 3-3. Richwoods added two more runs thanks to a wild pitch and a bases-loaded hit-by-a-pitch. Limestone got one back in the bottom of the inning, but it left two stranded as the Knights won their first regional since 2018. Klausing and Kilgore along with Ryne Waller, Ben Waller and Zach Gilbert all had two hits each for Richwoods, which pounded out a dozen in the game.
What's next: Richwoods faces Streator (21-11-1) at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday in a Metamora Sectional semifinal.
Richwoods celebrates after making the final out.
Knights beat Limestone, 5-4 & advance to the Class 3A Metamora Sectional pic.twitter.com/bLGxs2f2K5— Adam Duvall (@AdamDuvall) May 27, 2023
Peoria baseball: Mid-Illini Conference high school baseball standings and schedule for spring 2023
Morton
How they won: Bradley recruit Tate Roley threw another gem and the host Potters (24-11) beat Mid-Illini Conference rival East Peoria for the regional championship on Saturday. Roley (8-1) struck out 12, walked one and scattered three hits on 108 pitches. Morton struck for three runs in the bottom of the first, then added a pair in the fifth after EP had cut the game to 3-2. Tanner Spangler helped provide Roley with some run support, knocking in a pair, while Ethan Hurst and Roley each drove in a run. Morton and EP (24-13) had split the Mid-Illini season series with EP winning the second game on May 3. Owen Hidden hit a solo home run, while Landen Hidden drove in a run for the Raiders.
What's next: Morton faces Rock Island at 7 p.m. Wednesday in a Metamora Sectional semifinal.
Potters capture their fifth Regional Title in last six seasons with a 5-3 win over East Peoria. @RoleyTate gets the W with 11 strikeouts and 1 walk. @Tdspang2 had a 2-RBI single and Roley and @EthanHurst05 each had an RBI well. @sieben_brandon7 scored two runs. pic.twitter.com/HNCCDQdqM5
— Morton Baseball (@PottersBaseball) May 27, 2023
Adam Duvall is a Journal Star sports reporter. Email him at aduvall@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @AdamDuvall.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: IHSA baseball: Class 3A Metamora sectional set with Morton, Richwoods