Published on May 28, 2025 8:09 am
Last Updated on May 28, 2025 8:11 am
BY MILLIE LANGE
CASEY — The game was full of hits, runs and a strange rundown but when it came to the final score, Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg claimed an 8-2 victory over Edwards County (Albion) to move into the championship game of the Class 1A Casey-Westfield Softball Sectional Tuesday. The games were head on KJ Country 102.3.
The Hatchets struck in the opening inning. Mya Friese led off the frame with a single. Friese was sacrificed to second on a bunt hit by Zaida Wascher. Then came a wild rundown. Samantha Hayes hit a fly ball to left field and the leftfielder dove for it but couldn’t come up with the ball. Friese had taken off to second and headed to third, rounding the base. Hayes then headed to third but Friese had turned back. Hayes then took off, headed back to second but the Lions had a heads-up play, tagging Hayes out.
The Hatchets then tallied the run when Clarissa Johnson hit a single that scored Friese.
Edwards County had a runner on in the first inning as Lilly Jones singled and stole second. But she was left stranded.
Windsor/Stew-Stras scored again in the second. Ellie Wittenberg reached base on an error and was sacrificed over by Alaira Friese. A single by Katelyn VonBehrens brought Wittenberg home. Then it was three more singles in a row as Cameron Carey, M. Friese and Wascher all nailed hits. M. Friese brought two runs home. The Hatchets held a 4-0 lead.
Edwards County finally hit the scoreboard in the third. Holly Hansley led off with a single and Jenna Shaw singled. Madi Murphy had a sacrifice. Lilly Jones then singled home a run and Grace Bishop followed with a single.
Windsor/Stew-Stras held a 4-2 lead going into the bottom of the third then tallied another run. Kendra Hayes led off with a single and stole second. With one out, A. Friese singled Hayes home.
The Lions had two on in the fourth as Braelyn Troyer drew a walk. She was sacrificed over and Holly Hensley singled. But the runners were left stranded as the Hatchets got the next two in the lineup out on a fly ball and a ground out.
Windsor/Stew-Stras then scored two more in the fifth. K. Hayes led off with a double. Wittenberg was hit by a pitch. With one out, VonBehrens drew a walk. M. Friese then doubled home two runs and the Hatchets held a 7-2 lead.
The final run came in the sixth as S. Hayes reached on an error. K. Hayes had a single and Wittenberg then singled S. Hayes home.
S. Hayes then got the side down in order in the seventh to end the contest. Hayes went the distance giving up two runs on seven hits, one walk and striking out four.
Meanwhile, the Hatchets showed their versatility as all nine players had at least one hit in the contest. M. Friese finished with three singles, a double and four RBI. K. Hayes had two singles and a double. Clarissa Johnson, Wittenberg and VonBehrens had a single and an RBI each.
In the second game of the evening, South Central saw its fine season come to a close against Casey-Westfield.
The Warriors tallied an 8-0 victory as Ava Goble kept the Cougars off the bases, tossing a one-hitter with only two walks and striking out eight.
South Central did put a runner on base in the opening inning as Maddie Peddicord drew a walk and stole second.
Another walk came to the Cougars in the second as Lauren Johnson drew the free pass.
Meanwhile, Casey-Westfield dented the plate in the third, scoring two runs. Anna Karras and Tristan Ring had singles in the frame.
The lead went to 4-0 in the fourth. A walk, two errors and a single by Truelove tallied two more runs.
Casey-Westfield continued on with two more in the fifth as Ring doubled. Then in the sixth, Casey-Westfield finished out with two more on a single by Ava Goble and another double by Ring.
Ava Goble picked up the pitching victory. She went the distance, allowing one hit, two walks and striking out eight.
South Central finished with three errors.
Casey-Westfield and Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg will now meet at 4:30 p.m. Friday for the sectional championship.
The winner will advance to the Carbondale Super-Sectional Monday to take on either Elkville Elverado, who won its opener Tuesday over Goreville by an 8-5 count, or either Waltonville or Ullin Century, who play today at the Campbell Hill Sectional.
Class 1A Casey-Westfield Sectional
Game One
Edwards Co. 002 000 0 — 2- 7-3
Windsor/Stew-Stras 131 021 x — 8-14-1
WP — S. Hayes. LP — Groff.
Edwards County — Jones, 2 singles, 1 RBI; Bishop, single; Groff, single; Hensley, 2 singles; Shaw, single
Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg — M. Friese, 3 singles, double, 4 RBI; Wascher, single; S. Hayes, single; Johnson, single, 1 RBI; K. Hayes, 2 singles, double; Wittenberg, single, 1 RBI; A. Friese, single; VonBehrens, single, 1 RBI; Carey, single
Game Two
South Central 000 000 0 — 0-1-3
Casey-Westfield 002 222 x — 8-6-0
WP — Goble. LP — Peddicord.
South Central — Thompson, single
Casey-Westfield — Goble, single; Karras, single; Truelove, single; Ring, single, 2 doubles, 3 RBI; Gilbert, 1 RBI