Cumberland Overwhelmed in Super-Sectional Softball Game, Mattoon Loses in 3A Sectional

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Published on June 2 2015 10:10 pm
Last Updated on June 3 2015 9:37 am
Written by Greg Sapp

Game story courtesy of Dustin White  GS

The Cumberland High School softball team ran into a buzzsaw Tuesday afternoon at the Class 1A Springfield Super-Sectional, falling a game shy of the state tournament by a 4-0 score at the hands of Grace Baalman and the Calhoun (Hardin) Lady Warriors. The game was hosted by the University of Illinois-Springfield and could be heard on KJ Country 102.3 and online at  http://www.kjcountry.com/

Baalman, a sophomore for Calhoun, struck out no fewer than 21 Lady Pirates hitters to seal a berth in East Peoria for the state’s top-ranked 1A softball team. The only blemish on her day of work was a two-out walk of Mariah Huddlestun in the bottom of the third inning. Other than that, every Cumberland hitter to step up to the plate returned to the dugout after three strikes.

Kaylee Carlen took the pitching loss for Cumberland; a fine pitcher in her own right, she was seeking her 19th victory of the spring. She allowed a pair of runs in the top of the fourth and then two more unearned tallies in the seventh.

In the fourth, Baalman, also Calhoun’s No. 3 hitter and reportedly the owner of nearly 20 home runs this season, hit a one-out double and the scored on a soft single by Emma Baalman. Sara Brodbeck chased her home with a double.

Carlen and her defense managed to escape trouble in the next two innings; first baseman Kyla Thorton started a double play in the fifth when she snagged a line drive and fired to shortstop Taylor Layton to double a runner off second, while third baseman Katie Poe cut down a baserunner at the plate in the sixth. Three Calhoun hits and a couple poor throws helped the winning club double its lead in the seventh, however.

Cumberland’s season ends at 28-10; in the last 20 years, the team has won 15 regional titles (including 10 straight), seven sectionals, and was bidding for a fourth appearance at state. The Lady Pirates last made it to East Peoria in 2013, falling in a rain-marred championship game.

Calhoun, which also played in the Class 1A girls basketball championship game and lost to Central A&M, advances to face Wayne City in 10 a.m. semifinal action Friday. Grace Baalman was a key member of that basketball team as well and in two varsity seasons has already eclipsed the 1000-point plateau.

 

Class 3A Chatham Glenwood Sectional

Chatham Glenwood and Springfield Griffin came out winners in the Class 3A Chatham Glenwood Sectional Tuesday.

Glenwood defeated Rantoul 6-3 followed by Griffin edging Mattoon 1-0.

Glenwood and Griffin will square off for the championship Saturday at 11 a.m.