The IHSA Class 2A Girls Softball Championship was played on Saturday, May 21, 2016, at Bureau Valley High School, between the Lady Red Devils from Spring Valley Hall and the Morrison Fillies. The Morrison Fillies scored early and rebounded each time the Devils showed momentum, to clinch the Regional title by a score of 11-8.
The Fillies opened the bottom of the first with a routine fly ball off the bat of Emma Melton to the left fielder, Sara Perkins. But the Freshman dropped the ball and set the mood for the inning. Melton advanced to second on the error and to third on a sacrifice bunt by Lauren Vos. Brooke Stralow walked, prior to Jaeden Workman lining a 2-0 pitch over the left field fence for a two-run home run. They added another run in the second inning on an RBI single by Melton to score Madison Steines, who had walked and advanced via a sacrifice and a fielder’s choice.
The third inning saw the Fillies expand the lead after Stralow reached on an error and Workman walked. Emma Sitzmore drilled a double into left-center to score both Stralow and Workman. Starter Lauren Pannier had faced only nine Red Devils in the first three innings, and the Fillies held a 6-0 lead going into the fourth.
Spring Valley Hall greeted the Fillies in the fourth with a double and two singles. Their girls crossed the plate with three runs, due to a Fillies error and a single by Andrianna Pikula, before Pannier ended the rally with a pop-up to Melton and a strikeout of Libby Gehart. The Fillies quickly retaliated in their half of the fourth. Emily Szabo slapped a single up the middle, and Melton and Vos followed with doubles. Stralow, Workman, and Pannier hit consecutive singles. With bases loaded, Sarah Ostrander had a nice hit that drove in two runs. The Fillies upped the score after four innings to 11-3.
The Lady Red Devils didn’t quit. They chased Pannier after one out and two runners on base in the sixth inning. They greeted reliever Stralow with two singles and a double, to plate five runs–before she settled in and shut down the rally. The Fillies’ lead had been reduced to 11-8. Stralow had no problems closing out the seventh.
The Fillies celebrated a Regional Championship with an 11-8 victory.
Morrison will travel to Stillman Valley, IL, on Tuesday, May 24, to play Byron at 6:30 p.m.