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Note: Records are through Wednesday’s games.
Bureau Valley Regional
Team to beat: Stillman Valley (16-8)
Pairings: Monday, May 19, Game 1 - Rock Falls (10-20) at (6) Bureau Valley (15-16), 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 20, Game 2 - (2) Stillman Valley vs. Winner 1, 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 21, Game 3 - (3) Oregon (19-10) vs. (5) Erie-Prophetstown (14-9), 4:30 p.m. Friday, May 23, Championship - Winners 2-3, 4:30 p.m.
Worthy of note: The Storm won their first regional in 18 years last year and seek to repeat on their home field. While it’s been a bit of a roller-coaster ride with winning streaks of three (three times) and two losing streaks of four and one of three, the Storm have put together another solid season despite facing the unexpected losses of its top position player, Lesleigh Maynard (injury), and pitcher, Madison Smith, who transferred to Annawan. Helping to provide a spark for the Storm have been Emily Wright (.378, 1 HR, 17 RBIs), Kadyn Haage (.406, 19 RBIs) and Sadie Bailey (.417, 10 RBIs), Carly Reglin (2.97) and Mallery Maubach (2.84) have given the Storm a strong pitching duo. ... BV beat Rock Falls 3-2 in the season opener. ... Top-seeded Stillman Valley blasted Genoa-Kingston 17-0 on Tuesday. The Cardinals fell to G-K in last year’s regional title game.
BCR pick: Stillman Valley over Oregon
Last year’s regional finals: Bureau Valley 6, Princeton 5; Genoa-Kingston 2, Stillman Valley 1
Next: Winner advances to the Woodstock Sectional to face the winner of the Richmond-Burton Regional at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 27.
2A Princeton Regional
Team to beat: Morrison (16-4)
Pairings: Monday, May 19, Game 1 - (10) Mendota (2-17) at (8) Somonauk (7-12), 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 20, Game 2 - (1) Morrison vs. Winner 1, 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 21, Game 3 - (4) Princeton (14-10) vs. (7) Sandwich (12-10), 4:30 p.m. Friday, May 23, Championship - Winners 2-3, 4:30 p.m.
Worthy of note: The Tigresses reached the regional finals last year, falling by one run to Bureau Valley, and aim to take the next step. They have returned the same nucleus, plus the addition of freshman pitcher Piper Hansen. Sophomore slugger Avah Oertel, batting .529 with 43 RBIs, matched the school record for home runs with her 12th round-tripper at Rockridge on Friday. Other top contributors at the plate include Ellie Harp (.298, 4 HR, 19 RBIs), Keely Lawson (.439, 3 HR, 15 RBIs), Caroline Keutzer (.408, 11 RBIs), Sam Woolley (.385, 1 HR, 15 RBIs) and Izzy Gibson (.344, 5 HR, 16 RBIs). PHS coach Jhavon Hayes said it will be nice to play at home as the Tigresses chase their first regional championship since 2019, which is their only one. ... Top-seeded Morrison has won 11 straight leading into the postseason. They clinched the NUIC South title behind ace pitcher Bella Duncan, who no-hit Bureau Valley last week, striking out 18 of the 23 batters she faced.
BCR pick: Morrison over Princeton
Last year’s regional final: Bureau Valley 6, Princeton 5
Next: Winner advances to the Woodstock Sectional to face the winner of the Marengo Regional at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 28.
2A St. Bede Regional
Team to beat: (2) Chillicothe IVC (16-13)
Pairings: Monday, May 19, Game 1 - (10) Fieldcrest (0-15) at (9) Hall (5-22), 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 20, Game 2 - (2) Chillicothe IVC vs. Winner 1, 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 21, Game 3 - (3) St. Bede (13-12) vs. (7) El Paso-Gridley (4-19), 5 p.m. Friday, May 23, Championship - Winners 2-3, 5 p.m.
Worthy of note: The Bruins, who seek their fourth straight regional title, have graduated the core that won the 2023 1A State championship and played in two sectional title games. St. Bede star Lily Bosnich (.507, 6 HR, 17 RBIs, 18 SBs) will have a busy week shuffling between softball and the state track finals in Charleston. Other top contributors include Emma Slingsby (.449, 13 RBIs), Ava Balestri (.338, 5 HRs, 23 RBIs), Molly Strauch (.368, 25 RBIs) and Maci Kelly (.328, 14 RBIs). ... The whole regional field has been cool leading into the postseason. St. Bede has lost seven of their last nine games, their last two to undefeated Seneca. The Bruins will face an EPG team that has lost 10 of 11 games. Favored IVC lost three straight and six of eight. The Grey Ghosts beat Princeton 14-4 early in the season. Hall dropped 12 straight since upsetting Newman 10-5 on April 21 before routing Fieldcrest 22-5 in a regional preview on Wednesday. ... Sophomore catcher Caroline Morris has been a bright spot for the Red Devils, batting .413 with 19 RBIs.
BCR pick: St. Bede over IVC
Last year’s regional finals: St. Bede 3, Midwest Central 0; IVC 7, Canton 5
Next: Winner advances to the Chillicothe Sectional to face the winner of the Farmington Regional at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, May 27.
Other area regionals
At Fulton (1A): Team to beat: (2) Fulton (16-12). Others: (3) Putnam County (12-16), (6) Sterling Newman (9-14), (7) Amboy (4-16-1). BCR pick: Fulton
At Canton (2A): Team to beat: (1) Canton (17-9). Others: (4) Kewanee (16-12), (5) Peoria Notre Dame (12-13), (6) Eureka (12-14), (8) Midwest Central. BCR pick: Canton