Shae Simons perfect as WFC captures softball season opener

Lexington and Woodland-Flanagan-Cornell each captured wins on the softball diamond to pick up the only victories through the first week of the spring campaign.

For Woodland-Flanagan-Cornell, it was much of the same ol' thing as Shae Simons dominated in the circle. Simons was perfect in the season opener for the Warriors as they began with a 10-0 victory over Spring Valley (Hall) Tuesday.

Simons retired all 15 batters she faced, including striking out 11 of the last 12 in tossing her no-hitter. She fanned 12 Red Devils for the game.

Simons helped her cause with a double, single, a run batted in and two runs scored. Catcher Ella Derossett assisted her battery mate with a triple, double and three RBIs. WFC collected 11 hits on the day.

WFC 9, GSW 3 — At South Wilmington, Lilly Libby got the ball for Woodland-Flanagan-Cornell and was awarded the win in the circle as the Warriors topped host Gardner-South Wilmington in nonconference play Friday. Libby allowed an unearned run. Shae Simons finished up, fanning 10 over the final five innings.

Olivia Chismarick led off the game with a triple and scored when Emma Palascheck followed with a two-base hit. She scored on a Simons sacrifice fly, and WFC led the rest of the way. Palascheck had four hits, including a double and triple, and scored four times. She drove in one.

Simons had three hits and three runs batted in for WFC (2-0). Ella Derossett had a triple and three RBIs, and Tiffany Rustman doubled.

Lexington-Ridgeview 10, Marquette 5 — At Lexington, Mikayla Ziegler powered up with two home runs in leading Lexington-Ridgeview to a season-opening victory over Ottawa (Marquette) Tuesday.

Ziegler went yard in her first at bat to get the Minutemen on the board. She smacked her second roundtripper, a three-run shot, in the last of the fifth to give Lexington a 9-5 advantage. Ziegler had the two homers and drove in four runs.

Eleana Atkins had two hits, including a double, while Eva McCue and Grace Grimsley contributed two hits apiece. Ella Sunday had a two-base hit.

Belle Payne fanned two, walked one and scattered seven hits in going the distance in the circle.

Henry-Senachwine 5, Lexington-Ridgeview 3 — At Lexington, Henry-Senachwine scored in the top of the first inning and led the rest of the way to a nonconference win Wednesday.

Grace Grimsley had a double while the Minutemen managed just four other hits.

Belle Payne took the loss, allowing an unearned run in two innings. She struck out two. Hailey Foote four runs (two earned) and struck out three in finishing up for Lexington.

Lexington-Ridgeview 14, Clinton 13 — At Lexington, Eleana Atkins collected four hits, including a double, and drove in four runs as Lexington held off Clinton in a nonconference contest at Keller Park on Friday. Atkins also scored three times.

Lexington (2-1) led 14-4 after four innings, but the Maroons rallied to pull to within one before a groundout ended the game with the tying run stranded on second.

Belle Payne got the win despite allowing 11 runs. Hailey Foote gave up two runs but got the save.

Mackenzie Wesson had two doubles and a single and drove in four runs while Grace Grimsley also had two doubles, a single and added 3 RBIs. Mikayla Ziegler had a double and two RBIs. Eva McCue and Cori Pearce contributed two hits apiece.

Metamora 2, Pontiac 1 — At Metamora, Pontiac's softball campaign got off a tough start with a one-run road loss Tuesday, falling to the host Redbirds.

Elena Krause drove in Maddie Gourley in the top of the third inning with the first run of the game. It came on a one-out single, which was one of five safeties for PTHS on the day.

Krause had just one rough spot in the circle when she gave a double and a bunt single to open the MHS fourth. A wild pitch allowed the tying run to score and Metamora took the lead on a groundout.

Krause set down 10 on strikes, walked one and allowed four hits in 5 1/3 innings. Aubrey Shepherd fanned one in finishing up.

Olivia Lindsay had two hits to pace the Pontiac (0-1) offense.

Herscher 14, Prairie Central 10 — At Herscher, defense doomed Prairie Central as the Hawks committed seven errors that led to 10 unearned runs in a nonconference loss Tuesday.

The Tigers took control with eight runs in the last of the first inning and added two in the second. Prairie Central tried to fight back with six runs over the final three innings while still falling short.

The Hawks delivered 13 hits on the day, including a four-hit, two-RBI effort from Kyah Creek. Jules Woodrey had a homer, single and drove in four runs. Rylee Galloway collected two doubles and drove in two runs while Lydia Kilgus also had two hits.

Dixie Hogan took the loss, giving up 12 runs (four earned) in 1 1/3 innings. Faith Fields tossed a scoreless inning with one punchout, and Woodrey fanned four in 3 2/3 innings.

Coal City 12, Prairie Central 1 — At Fairbury, Coal City scored seven times in the first inning, and host Prairie Central was unable to climb out of the hole in dropping the nonconference decision on Friday.

The Coalers built a 12-run advantage before the Hawks got on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning. Rylee Galloway reached on an error, and Jules Woodrey singled. They moved into scoring position on a groundout, and Galloway scored on a Kyrsten Atkins groundout.

Sam Slagel doubled and Woodrey singled for Prairie Central's two hits. Woodrey took the loss in the circle. She allowed 10 runs (seven earned) in 1 1/3 innings. Dixie Hogan finished up, yielding two runs and striking out one as the Hawks dropped to 0-2.