IHSA State Baseball Capsule Previews

Where: Dozier Park, Peoria

Class 1A semifinals (Friday)

Game 1: Waterloo Gibault (22-4) vs. Goreville (25-13), 10 a.m.

Game 2: Henry-Senachwine (22-6) vs. Sterling Newman (22-8), 12 p.m.

Saturday: Third place - losers 1-2, 9 a.m. Championship - winners 1-2, 11:30 a.m.

Worthy of note: The second semifinal is a match of much area interest between Henry and Newman. The Mallards return to State for the first time in 30 years. Henry made two state appearances (1979, 1993) under legendary coach Robert Newell, the namesake for the Mallards’ field. Henry beat Milford to capture the Bloomington Supersectional. ... Newman, which beat Chicago Hope Academy, 3-2, to win the Rockford Supersectional, makes its first State appearance after coming up short in the supers the last two years. “It was surreal, really. It was definitely awesome finally winning it; even going back to it again for the third time was special. But it was definitely a really, really good feeling to win that one finally,” said Newman standout Brendan Tunink. The Notre Dame commit has belted 17 homers and sports a 10-0 record with a 1.07 ERA and 98 strikeouts on the mound. ... Goreville returns to State for the first time since a three-year run from 2016-18 when it claimed one title (2016) and two third-place finishes. Goreville’s softball team has also made State with the same 25-13 record. ... Gibault makes its first trip to State since taking third in 2019. The Hawks beat Putnam County, 6-2, for the State title in 2013.

Class 2A semifinals (Friday)

Game 1: Columbia (33-4) vs. Chicago DePaul Prep (23-14), 3 p.m.

Game 2: Joliet Catholic (24-8-1) vs. Quincy Notre Dame (35-1), 5 p.m.

Saturday: Third place - losers 1-2, 1 p.m. Championship - winners 1-2, 3:30 p.m.

Worthy of note: Defending State champ Joliet Catholic punched its ticket back to Peoria by defeating Hall, 14-4, to win the Geneseo Supersetional on Monday. The Hilltoppers have won four State championships in 12 previous appearances at the 3A or AA levels. ... Notre Dame has reached State with a heavy heart with the loss of senior Tucker Tollerton, who died in a single-car accident only hours after driving in two runs in QND’s sectional championship victory on Saturday. The Raiders left his center field position vacant on the first pitch of Monday’s supersectional at Springfield. His replacement, Jake Schisler, hit a home run with five RBIs in five-inning, stirring tribute to No. 5, Tollerton. Notre Dame blitzed Bloomington Central Catholic, 13-1. The Irish make their first appearance at State since 2004. ... Columbia comes off a third-place finish in 2022, making its fifth State appearance. It won Class A State titles in 1987 and 2007. ... DePaul Prep makes its first trip to State.