The Salem Lady Cats softball team opened up regional play with a 3-2 win over Red Bud. Delaney Kell struckout 18, including the first 9 in the game and 15 of the first 17 batters including her 200th of the season. Kell was also honored before the game for her 400 strikeouts in her 4 year tenure at SCHS. Avery Bass led off the game with a solo home run, her first of the year. Makenna Smith led off the 7th with a single and then scored on a walk-off sacrifice fly from Ally Roberts. Salem heads to Freeburg this afternoon after the Lady Midgets 10-0 win over Carlyle.
Also in 2a semifinals, Marquette short-gamed Vandalia 11-0, Breese Central 9-7 over Staunton, Mater Dei 7-0 over Greenville, Carterville all over Waltonville 15-1, Chester 15-3 over Sparta, Columbia got a pair of 2-run homers from Ava Khoury in their 4-2 win over Flora, Marshall 6-1 over Lawrenceville, DuQuoin beat Murphysboro 10-5, Nashville 12-1 winners over Fairfield, Gillespie beat Piasa 6-3, Shelbyville 6-2 over Robinson in 8 innings, TTown beat Newton 8-4 and Anna over Vienna 13-2.
Also today in 2a regional finals, Mater Dei hosts Central, Carmi home with Benton, Hamilton County hosts West Frankfort, Anna at Massac, Mt Carmel welcomes Marshall, Nashville hosts Columbia, Shelbyville is at Paris.
In 3a regional title games it was Charleston over Mattoon 8-1, Highland nipped Jerseyville 2-0, Mt Zion over Rantoul 11-1 and Mt Vernon was set to host Waterloo but with wet field conditions that game has been moved to Saturday at 1pm. Today Marion hosts Carbondale.
In 4a regional championships, Edwardsville shutout O’Fallon 8-0, Belleville East over Collinsville 8-5.
