HS softball: Gillespie clinches outright SCC title; Carlinville wins at North Mac
Sadie Sholtis, pictured batting against Carlinville earlier in the season, was one of five Gillespie High School softball players that had multi-hit performances against Hillsboro May 5. The Miners dominated the Hiltoppers, 17-0, in five innings and clinched an outright South Central Conference title. Enquirer~Democrat photo by Jackson Wilson.
By JACKSON WILSON
Enquirer Democrat Reporter
The Gillespie High School softball team clinched another outright South Central Conference title with a 17-0 win at Hillsboro May 5.
The Miners surpassed 20 total victories for the third consecutive year and extended their league winning streak to 26 games.
Gillespie, which additionally beat Staunton 11-4 in a non-conference rematch May 3, is 8-0 in the SCC.
Emma Gipson tossed four scoreless frames for the Miners and connected on a home run. Megan Rife, Eve Kaduk, Macie Wright, Sadie Sholtis and Regan Bussmann all had multi-hit performances. Delaney Taylor, Gipson, Sholtis and Kaduk each drove in a pair of runs.
Rife relieved Gipson on the mound and completed the shutout in the bottom of the fifth. The senior pitching duo limited the Hiltoppers to just one hit on the day.
Next week, Gillespie heads to Greenville for postseason action as a No. 3 seed in the Illinois High School Associaiton Class 2A Freeburg sub-sectional. The Miners play against either No. 5 Staunton or No. 13 Greenville May 17 at 4:30 p.m. More than likely, No. 2 Salem will be their regional championship opponent should they advance.
Carlinville wins at North Mac
Carlinville ended a breakout conference season at 7-2 with a 7-1 victory at North Mac in Virden May 3.
The Cavaliers broke a late tie with six runs in the top of the seventh and improved to 17-7 on the season.
North Mac fell to 11-7 overall and finished 4-5 in league play.
Hallie Gibson fired a complete game for CHS, walking three and striking out five.The freshman also delivered offensively with two RBI, along with Makenah Dugan.
Natalie Little plated the equalizing run for North Mac in the bottom of the fourth.
Carlinville and North Mac have been assigned to the IHSA Class 2A Quincy Notre Dame sub-sectional. If North Mac can handle business at home against former conference rival Riverton, both teams are bound for Buffalo (Tri-City). Carlinville has been granted an automatic regional semifinal bid and a date with the host Tornadoes. If North Mac wins, the Panthers face top-seeded Stanford (Olympia).
Other action
In other action, Southwestern lost 10-7 at Greenville May 5 and Bunker Hill inched closer to a Gateway Metro Conference title with a 6-3 win over Metro-East Lutheran.
In the Freeburg sub-sectional, Southwestern (16-11; 6-3 SCC) faces No. 3 Columbia May 17 at the IHSA Class 2A Roxana regional. Bunker Hill (13-6; 6-0 GM) has received a first round bye in the Class 1A Greenfield regional and will take on either Mulberry Grove or Ramsey May 16.
