BCR Regional Softball Preview: St. Bede takes top subsectional seed into postseason play

Postseason play starts next week for area softball teams. Here’s a rundown:

At Kewanee Wethersfield (1A)

Team to beat: (1) St. Bede (19-7)

Pairings: Mon., May 15 - Game 1: (10) Midland (0-27) at (9) Lowpoint-Washburn (2-17), 4:30 p.m. Tue., May 16 - Game 2: (1) St. Bede vs. Winner 1, 4 p.m. Wed., May 17 - Game 3 - (4) Annawan/Wethersfield (16-13) vs. (7) Stark County (8-19-1), 4 p.m. Sat., May 20 - Championship - Winners 2-3, 11 a.m.

At a glance: St. Bede is the No. 1 seed for its own subsectional A and would like none better to return home to play for sectional. The Bruins are a defending regional champion, having advanced to the Sweet 16 a year ago. The Bruins, who are ranked No. 1 in Class 1A, have reloaded behind junior pitchers Ella Hermes (8-0, 1.373) and Reagan Stoudt (8-1, 2.22) and the bats of Stoudt (.500, 2 HR, 24 RBIs), Slingsby (.418), Hermes (.413, 30 runs, 17 RBIs), Maddy Dalton (.381, 2 HR, 22 RBIs), Addie Bontz (.347, 11 HR) and Ava Balestri (3 HR, 13 RBI)) “Being the favorite you’ve got that target on your back. It’s a lot like playing on our side of the conference, everybody wants to beat the Lady Bruins. We’ve just got to keep playing the way we’ve been playing and take no opponent for granted,” SBA coach Shawn Sons said. ...The Bruins bowed out to Biggsville West Central 2-1 in the sectional finals at Williamsfield last year. ... Annawan/Wethersfield also played for a regional title last year, losing to Newman. ... The regional is being played at Howes Park in Annawan.

BCR Pick: St. Bede def. A/W

Next: Winner advances to the St. Bede Sectional on Tuesday, May 23 to play the Sciota West Prairie Regional winner at 5 p.m.

Last year’s regional finals: St. Bede 5, Putnam County 3; Newman 7, A/W 4

At Princeton (2A)

Team to beat: (1) Rockridge (31-1)

Pairings: Mon., May 15 - Game 1: (8) Mendota (5-15) at (7) Princeton (6-16), 4:30 p.m. Game 2: (11) Hall (1-22) at (6) Bureau Valley (13-12), 4:30 p.m. Tue., May 16 - Game 3: (1) Rockridge vs. Winner 1, 4:30 p.m. Wed., May 17 - Game 4: (4) Kewanee (14-7) vs. Winner 2, 4:30 p.m. Fri., May 19 - Championship: Winners 3-4, 4:30 p.m.

At a glance: Rockridge is the two-time defending state champions, featuring a senior class that has lost only one game in high school. The Rockets return much firepower from their state champion teams, including seniors Payton Brown (.598, 19 HR, 44 RBIs), Daytonah Downing (.400, 7 HR, 26 RBI) and Cierrra Bush (.542, 39 RBIs) and junior Kendra Lewis (.562, 8 HRs). Lewis, the Rockets ace, sports a 15-0 record with a 1.59 ERA and 121 strikeouts in 61 innings. The University of Wisconsin commit has never lost in 55 decisions in high school and recently recorded her 500th career strikeout. ... The quarterfinal matchups will be repeats of recent contests. Mendota rallied to defeat Princeton, 17-12, last week while Bureau Valley downed Hall twice this week. The Tigresses look to touch on their Little Siberia Field magic where they hit seven homers in a double header this year. Two Tigresses, freshman Izzy Gibson and soph Ellie Harp, have socked four round-trippers each. The Princeton-Mendota winner gets to face Rockridge in the semifinals. “It’s going to be a tough regional, but at least we’ve seen all these teams before. Looking forward to seeing what we can do,” PHS coach Jhavon Hayes said. ... BV has split its two conference games with Kewanee (in a double header) and would need to get past the Boilermakers again after Hall to reach the finals. “Obviously, everyone wants to stay on the opposite (regional) of Rockridge. Unfortunately, we did not. We’ll play whoever we have to. We like our draw with Hall and then Kewanee,” BV coach Greg Sayler said. ... Rockridge set the IHSA winning streak at 73 games, before losing 1-0 to Ottawa on April 8.

BCR Pick: Rockridge def. BV

Next: Winner advances to the Rockridge Sectional on Tuesday, May 23 to play the Brimfield Regional winner at 4:30 p.m.

Last year’s regional finals: Rockridge 8, Riverdale 1

Other area regionals

At Newman (1A)

Favorites: (2) Morrison (15-9), (3) Newman (11-9). Others: (5) Putnam County (15-8), (6) Henry (11-11), (8) Amboy (6-13)

At Prophetstown (2A)

Favorite: (2) Sherrard (17-9). Others: (3) Riverdale (18-7), (5) E-P (8-14), (9) Orion (7-23)