WENONA - The Princeton Logan Junior High softball team is making school history.
The Lions defeated Wethersfield, 9-1, to capture the Fieldcrest Class 2A Sectional championship Saturday morning to advance to state for the first time.
Logan coach Tim Parry said the Lions have exceeded all expectations.
“To be honest when this season started I was going to be happy to finish .500,” he said. “The girls have worked extremely hard and have overachieved. They get along so well. Nice to see all the hard work has payed off.”
Logan (18-4) will face Beardstown (18-1) at 10 a.m. Friday in the IESA Class 2A State Quarterfinals at Champions Field in Normal.
The Lions scored three runs in the bottom of the third inning to take a 4-1 lead and broke the game open with five more runs in the fifth to go up 9-1.
Liberty Sousa led the Lions’ 12-hit parade with three hits plus an RBI. Piper Hansen (RBI), Addison Parry (3 runs) and Payton Brandt (2 RBIs) each had two hits while Kendall Rauh, Collyns Etheridge and Libby Sierens had one each.
Hansen was the winning pitcher, scattering six hits and two walks while fanning nine.
In other quarterfinal play Friday at state, Metamora (22-0) plays Williamsville (16-4), Monticello (14-5) plays Newton Jasper County (15-0) and Beecher (23-2) plays Tolono Unity (15-0).
Friday’s winners will advance to Saturday’s semifinals starting at 10 a.m. with the third place and championship games to follow.