The small school baseball final fours are set after Super Sectional games played yesterday. In Class 1a at SIU-Carbondale, Goreville held on to beat St Anthony at Itchy Jones Stadium 6-5. That came a little after the Goreville girls punched their ticket to State winning the Johnston City Super Sectional over Casey Westfield 5-1. It’s the first time since 2017 both teams made it to State in the same year.
The Blackcats advance to Dozer Park in Peoria on Friday for their state semifinal against Waterloo Gibault after they beat Jacksonville Routt at Lincoln Land Community College in Springfield 7-3.
The other game will see Newman Central Catholic, who won the Rockford Supers over Chicago Hope Academy 3-2, taking on Henry Senachwine who won at Illinois Wesleyan over Milford 3-2.
Columbia improved to 33-4 winning the 2a SIU-Carbondale Super over Nashville 4-1. The Eagles are coming off a 3rd place finish in last years state finals. They advance to play DePaul Chicago Prep who beat Byron at Rockford 13-3.
The other 2a semifinal will be Joliet Catholic who won the Geneseo Super in 5-innings over Spring Valley Hall 14-4, taking on Quincy Notre Dame who short-gamed Bloomington Central Catholic at Springfield 13-1.
The 3a Sectionals open today. At Centralia, Mount Vernon plays Mascoutah at 4pm followed by Effingham and Triad.
