Bulldogs Move Into Elite Eight With Win Over Casey-Westfield, 6-2

Print

Published on June 11 2021 7:32 am
Last Updated on June 11 2021 9:12 am
Written by Millie Lange

St. Anthony High School advances to the Class 1A Johnston City Super-Sectonal. Members of the team are, first row, left to right, Stacey Vonderheide, Grace Karolewicz, Laney Coffin, Kenzie Kabbes and Cameron Rios. Second row, left to right, Coach Tim Walsh, Addie Wernsing, Maddie Kibler, Hailey Niebrugge, Anna Faber, Sydney Kibler, Alexis Stephens, Taylor Quandt, Lucy Fearday and Coach Makayla  Walsh.

CASEY -- Going where no Effingham St. Anthony High School softball team has ever gone before . . . the Elite Eight.

Only eight Class 1A teams are remaining and the Bulldogs are one of them. Coach Makayla Walsh's squad beat Casey-Westfield on its home field by a 6-2 tally in 10 innings Thursday to win the Class 1A Sectional championship.

Casey-Westfield was the first on the board with a run in the second inning. Paige Cutright led off the frame with a double and came home on Addie Squires fly ball to centerfield.

That's where the scoring stood until the wild sixth inning when the Bulldogs tied. With no outs, Haley Niebrugge drew a walk and Kenzie Kabbes came in to pinch run. Lucy Fearday reached on an error and the Bulldogs had runners at first and second. Madeline Kibler bunted the runners to second and third on a sacrifice. Sydney Kibler hit back to the pticher who went home with the throw and Kabbes was caught in a rundown between third and home.

Kabbes was eventually tagged out at third and Fearday had gone to third during the play and had to run back to second. The Warriors attempted to get Fearday at second but the throw went wild and into right field and Fearday took third and came home to score the tying run.

St. Anthony had a runner on in the sixth as Niebrugge singled and went to third on a ball hit by M. Kibler but she was left stranded.

Casey-Westfield had two runners on in the sixth but couldn't get either one home and had a runner on in the seventh but the Bulldogs got out of the frame with three ground outs.

St. Anthony put a runner on in the eighth as Niebrugge singled. With two outs, M. Kibler reached on an error. But Casey-Westfield ended the inning as the pitcher picked up a ball hit by Sydney Kibler and got the final out.

The Warriors went up and down in the eighth and ninth innings while St. Anthony couldn't produce in the ninth.

Then in the 10th, the Bulldogs cut loose. Cameron Rios led off with a single followed by a single by Addie Wernsing. Niebrugge sacrificed for an RBI but reached base on a fielder's choice. Fearday doubled home two runs and M. Kibler reached base on an error. With one out, Stacie Vonderheide doubled home a run and Grace Karolewicz singled home the fifth run and the Bulldogs led 6-1.

Casey-Westfield attempted a comeback as Kennedy Repp tripled and came home on a wild pitch. But the Bulldogs toughened up and got the final two outs for the victory.

Fearday got the win on the mound, going all 10 innings, allowing seven hits, no walks while striking out four.

Fearday also finished with a single, double and two RBi while Rios had three singles, Vonderheide a double and an RBI and Karolewicz a single and an RBI.

The Bulldogs advance with a 19-8 record and will meet Marissa, a 3-0 winner over Steelville, at the Johnston City Super-Sectional Monday at 2 p.m.

For St. Anthony fans, all super-sectional and state finals tickets will be digital tickets this year. There will be no cash ticket sales at the gate.

To purchase digital tickets, softball fans can download the GOFAN app, click on the link GOFAN or go to the Illinois High School Association website and click on the GOFAN OFFICIAL Logo on the left side of the IHSA home page. That will take fans to the ticket sales. All super-sectional tickets are $7. One person can purchase tickets for the entire family. When fans purchase tickets, they will receive an email with a link to their tickets. Fans simply show their phone at the gate to redeem their tickets and enter the stadium.

Class 1A Sectional

St. Anthony                  000    001    000    5    --    6-10-1

Casey-Westfield          010    000    000    1    --    2- 7-2

WP -- Fearday. LP -- Cartright.

St. Anthony -- Rios, 3 singles; Wernsing, single; Niebrugge, single, 1 RBI; Fearday, single, double; M. Kibler, single; Vonderheide, double, 1 RBI; Karlolewicz, single, 1 RBI

Casey-Westfield -- Repp, single, triple; Cartright, single, double; Zachary, single; Squires, single; Cribelar, single