Kevin Chlum

The Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp are on the road for six games this week. The Shrimp enter the week 5-6 after going 2-3 last week.

The Putnam County baseball team scored three runs in the first inning and led throughout in an 11-2 victory over Fulton to win the Class 1A Putnam County Sectional title, the Panthers' first sectional crown since 2013.

After more than three decades and nearly 600 wins as a head baseball coach, Bill Booker has retired, St. Bede announced in a press release Friday.

The seventh Shaw Media Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame class was inducted Thursday with 14 individuals and three teams honored.

La Salle-Peru baseball, softball and soccer players earned All-Interstate 8 Conference honors, plus more in the NewsTribune sports briefs.

Putnam County's Johnathon Stunkel struck out the side in the top of the first inning and the Panthers scored two runs in the bottom half to set the tone early in an 11-1, five-inning victory over Newark in a Class 1A Putnam County Sectional semifinal Wednesday.

Chase Dykstra was dominant on the mound and Fulton capitalized on seven Parkview Christian errors to win 12-1 in five innings in a Class 1A Putnam County Sectional semifinal Wednesday.

Henry-Midland's Daniella Bumber starts the next chapter of her life June 25 as she goes to basic training ahead of her college career at the Naval Academy, where she'll also run track and field.

La Salle-Peru graduate and former NewsTribune Female Athlete of the Year Taylor Maryn earned all-conference honors as well as two academic honors as a member of the St. Ambrose University softball team.

The Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp went 3-3 in the first week of the season along with four of the other five teams in the Prospect League's Northwest Division.

The La Salle-Peru softball team's season ended Friday with a 10-0 loss to Dunlap in the Class 3A L-P Sectional championship.

La Salle-Peru sophomore Aavery Hill advanced to the Class 2A state finals in discus, plus more in Friday's NewsTribune roundup.

Princeton's Jackson Mason advanced to the second day of the state tennis tournament, multiple NewsTribune-area athletes qualified for state finals in boys track and field, plus regional baseball in Thursday's NewsTribune roundup.

The Mendota, Earlville and Henry-Senachwine baseball teams saw their seasons end Wednesday.

Athletes from Peru Parkside, Princeton Logan and Mendota Northbrook claimed medals at the IESA Class 3A state track and field meet.