Illini Bluffs softball hoping for another fantastic finish at state

GLASFORD, Ill. (WMBD/WYZZ) — The Illini Bluffs softball team has a flare for the dramatic when it comes to big games.

The Tigers won both their state titles on walk-off hits. In 2021, Kristen Graham had an RBI single in the eighth inning to give IB a 3-2 win over Effingham St. Anthony in the state championship game and Lilly Hicks drove home the game-winner in a 1-0 nine-inning title win over Casey-Westfield in 2022.

This year’s team is doing the same thing. It won sectional and super-sectional titles this past week with runs in their final at-bats.

“Some of these games, they make me really nervous,” said junior catcher Lexi Brinkman. “But we end up pulling through. I have so much confidence we are going to.”

Cora Ellison’s RBI single in the seventh inning gave Illini Bluffs a 1-0 walkoff win over Pleasant Hill in the sectional championship. Then Sara Finn belted a tie-breaking homer in the seventh inning to lead the Tigers to a 2-1 win over Carrollton in Monday’s super-sectional.

“We really hate to lose. We fight until the end. We know we are never out of it,” said Finn. “We have good hitters, good fielders. We just know we can win no matter what.”

Now IB is bringing that never-say-die attitude to its fifth consecutive state finals appearance. The Tigers play Trico in the class 1A state semifinals Friday at 12:30 p.m. at the Louisville Slugger Complex.

“I think we just never give up,” said senior Morgan Lowe. “We fight for each other. When someone else is doing good, it lifts everybody up. We want to play for each other.”

This weekend IB returns to Peoria where it played in the title game a year ago. But the Tigers didn’t have a fantastic finish in a 7-6 loss to St. Bede.

Second place didn’t sit so well with the Tigers.

“I think it’s motivated us to fight harder than we did last year,” said Ellison, the winning pitcher in the super-sectional win. “Last year we had a couple of errors. This year, I think we’re going to be good.”

Illini Bluffs had an early lead in the title game last spring but couldn’t hang on to it.

“That’s definitely a motivating factor to get back there. After winning (state) and then getting second (last year,” said head coach Lindsey Lox. “It’s definitely not the same. Still an accomplishment. I know they want more this year.”

In the last four state tournaments, IB has two first-place finishes and two runner-up finishes. The Tigers are working towards another state championship.

“It’s great to know we are going back to state,” said senior Annabelle Fortin. “I took off work this week. It wasn’t for nothing. I’m excited!”

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