HS softball: Gillespie makes historic comeback, wins regional championship

 

By JACKSON WILSON
Enquirer Democrat Reporter

In the bottom of the fifth inning of the May 21 IHSA Class 2A Gillespie regional semifinal, many thought that the Gillespie High School softball season was going to conclude in heartbreak against East Alton Wood River. Then, the Miners’ bats came to life and put together a historic comeback, turning a 6-0 deficit into a commanding 15-6 lead after six frames. Against all odds, the Miners were 60 feet away from walking off with a mercy rule victory when the dust had finally settled.

Sadie Sholtis and Macie Wright brought Gillespie back into the game with home runs in the fifth, in which the Miners reduced the gap to 6-4. Then, as she did late in last year’s regional semifinal with the Miners trailing, Ava Parish activated her clutch gene yet again and roped a game-tying two-run shot over the left field fence. This jolt set off a historic domino effect as the Miners paraded a flurry of hits, which included another bomb courtesy of Ava Rakers, en route to an 11-run sixth inning outburst.

Sholtis wasted no time in the top of the seventh and set down the Oilers in order to advance Gillespie into the championship game against Staunton, which was coming off an 11-0 slaughtering of Roxana.

Fueled by the adrenaline of a fierce rivalry, the Miners proved that they weren’t going to let their season end, especially against the Bulldogs at home. This time, Gillespie didn’t delay and jumped ahead right away as the road team on the scoreboard. The Miners tagged Staunton ace Grace Burris with three runs in the top of the first and kept piling on with one in the second, two in the fourth, two in the sixth and one in the seventh on 16 hits. The Staunton bats were also clicking against Sholtis with 12 hits but Gillespie was able to fend off the top-seeded Bulldogs, 9-5, and complete a two-game sweep of the rivalry as an added bonus in returning to sectionals for unfinished business.

In their final game on the Ben-Gil diamond, the dynamic GHS senior duo went out with a bang. Delaney Taylor compiled four hits in five at-bats with a double and an RBI while scoring two runs. Wright added two hits and had three RBIs. Sholtis helped her own cause for the second game in a row with another home run and three RBIs. The Miners also received plenty of additional support from Laci Shuckenbrock with three hits in four at-bats, Rakers with two hits and Paxton Reid with a single and RBI.

In the circle, Sholtis had five strikeouts without a walk and only allowed one earned run. The other Staunton tallies were manufactured courtesy of six Gillespie errors.

Sam Anderson led the Bulldogs with three hits and an RBI in the loss. Burris, Ele Feldmann, Lilly Bandy and Korryn Keehner all added two hits apiece, with Burris driving in three runs and Bandy collecting an RBI as well.

Gillespie advanced to the May 27 Vandalia sectional semifinal against Newton with a 22-7 record overall.

Staunton concluded the season 19-4.

Look for sectional coverage in next week’s edition of the Macoupin County Enquirer Democrat.

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Carlinville, North Mac and Southwestern bowed out after opening their postseason runs on a winning note.

Carlinville dominated Sacred Heart Griffin, 8-0, and Southwestern housed Trenton Wesclin, 11-0, to get into the championship round. North Mac earned a semifinal berth with a 10-0 victory against Riverton.

Unfortunately, for the second year in a row, Carlinville’s season ended in a 1-0 defeat against No. 1 Auburn at the 2A Auburn regional. Auburn, which placed fourth at state last spring, also eliminated North Mac, 10-0, in the semis. The Cavaliers ended the year 18-10 overall. The Panthers finished 4-21.

Southwestern was also shut out by a top seed in championship action. The Piasa Birds concluded their season 16-6 overall after losing 4-0 against regional host Columbia.