Carlinville, Staunton and Bunker Hill baseball dominate regional quarterfinals
North Mac to host Auburn in May 19 semifinal
By JACKSON WILSON
Enquirer Democrat Reporter
Macoupin County High School baseball teams went 3-for-3 on day one of the Illinois High School Association postseason.
Carlinville, Staunton and Bunker Hill each won their respective regional quarterfinal duals in convincing fashion May 16.
Gillespie, Greenfield-Northwestern, Southwestern and North Mac were awarded automatic semifinal bids and took to the field later in the week.
Carlinville 11, Litchfield 1
Ryenn Hart tossed five one-hit frames and was provided with plenty of run support during Carlinville’s 11-1 home victory over Litchfield.
The junior ace walked one and struck out eight to lead the Cavaliers into the second round of the IHSA Class 2A Pleasant Plains sub-sectional against Gillespie.
The Panthers drew first blood in the top of the opening frame but CHS quickly responded. The Cavaliers took a 3-1 lead in the second and pulled away with a six-spot in the fourth. Carlinville then walked off via mercy rule in the bottom of the fifth.
Dane Boatman, Zach Reels and Liam Tieman fueled the offensive engine with two RBI apiece for the victorious Cavaliers, who finished the afternoon with 10 total hits.
Carlinville entered the regional semifinals on a three-game winning streak, which was started by a Henry Kufa no-hitter against Staunton in conference action May 10. The Cavaliers rolled to a 10-0 triumph in that game and concluded the regular season with another conference win at Pana, 12-2, May 11.
The No. 6 Cavaliers, 11-7 overall, battled the red-hot No. 2 Miners in Gillespie May 18 for a berth in the regional championship against either No. 4 New Berlin or No. 5 Southwestern. The victors face off at 11 a.m. Sat., May 21 at GHS.
Gillespie surged into Wednesday on a ten-game winning streak. The Miners went 19-4 in the regular season and earned a share of the South Central Conference title with Southwestern (18-12) and Greenville. The three frontunners all went 6-2 in league play.
Staunton 13, Roxana 7
No. 10 Staunton silenced No. 9 Roxana with a nine-run outburst in the opening frame of the Teutopolis sub-sectional and booked its ticket to the semi-final of the Alton Marquette regional, 13-7.
The Bulldogs’ next opponent was state-ranked No. 2 Columbia May 18. The regional championship will put that winner up against either No. 4 Marquette or No. 6 Althoff Catholic in Alton Sat., May 21. Game time is 1 p.m.
Bunker Hill 8, Edinburg 3
The No. 8 Bunker Hill Minutemen defeated No. 10 Edinburg at home, 8-3, in the first round of the IHSA Class 1A Greenville University sub-sectional.
Bunker Hill advanced to Raymond, where it was destined to meet top-seeded Greenfield-Northwestern May 18.
The Minutemen are 4-10-1 overall.
The Tigers made their playoff debut at 20-6.
The Raymond regional championship game is Sat., May 21 at 11 a.m. The winner of Wednesday’s semifinal draws either No. 4 Lincolnwood or No. 5 North Greene.
North Mac to host Auburn in May 19 semifinal
North Mac has only been defeated twice in 17 games all season. One of those losses was to their regional semifinal opponent.
The Panthers, seeded third in the Pleasant Plains sub-sectional, will look to avenge a 7-2 defeat that took place at Auburn a month prior to the May 19 rematch.
If all goes according to plan, North Mac will go for another sectional berth against either No. 8 Pana or top-seeded Shelbyville Sat., May 21 on the athletic turf. The first pitch is at 10 a.m.
