May 29, 2025
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Tessa Krull’s shutout, Hayden Pfeifer’s homer power Seneca past Coal City in sectional semis

Krull struck out 11 in her four-hitter, and Pfeifer’s HR led a five-run sixth

By Mason Schweizer
Seneca's Tessa Krull celebrates after recording her 11th strikeout of the game for the final out of the Fighting Irish's 6-0 win over Coal City in the IHSA Class 2A Seneca Sectional semifinals Tuesday, May 27, 2025.

Seneca's Tessa Krull celebrates after recording her 11th strikeout of the game for the final out of the Fighting Irish's 6-0 win over Coal City in the IHSA Class 2A Seneca Sectional semifinals Tuesday, May 27, 2025. (Mason Schweizer)

SENECA – The last time the Seneca and Coal City softball teams squared off April 30, Fighting Irish ace Tessa Krull wasn’t her usual dominant self.

Sure, Seneca won 9-4, like the Fighting Irish have almost every game this season, but the eight hits and three earned runs she allowed in five innings were both among her season highs.

When the two teams met again in Tuesday’s Class 2A Seneca Sectional semifinal, Krull was back to her usual self, striking out 11 in a four-hit, no-walk shutout that fueled a 6-0 Seneca victory, improving the Fighting Irish to 34-1 and setting up a battle in the sectional finals against Beecher on Friday.

“I didn’t have my best stuff [last game against Coal City], I don’t think, and they hit me way more,” Krull said. “I knew that today I had to come in, control, have the confidence that I can get past them and use my spin as much as possible, which I did today.”

Seneca's Tessa Krull throws a pitch during the Class 2A Seneca Sectional semifinals against Coal City Tuesday, May 27, 2025.

Seneca's Tessa Krull throws a pitch during the Class 2A Seneca Sectional semifinals against Coal City Tuesday, May 27, 2025. (Mason Schweizer)

Tuesday was the third shutout in as many postseason games for the junior right-hander, who was perfect in a five-inning win over Watseka in the regional semifinals before throwing a two-hitter in a championship win over Lexington.

How has Krull been able to stay so dominant?

“I practice a lot,” she said. “Today I even went to the park before the game. And I trust my teammates, too, so no stress on me when I go out there because I know they’re going to get runs and play defense behind me.”

She got the defense, as the Fighting Irish kept their errorless postseason streak going and, although it took awhile, got the runs when the hosts broke loose with a five-run bottom of the sixth.

After Camryn Stecken reached on an error to open the inning and came around to score on Audry McNabb’s one-out single, had it not been for the inning-opening error, the sixth would have ended when McNabb was called out for leaving first base early while Hayden Pfeifer was at bat.

Instead, Pfeifer took a 3-2 offering for an opposite-field home run to right before Seneca added another three unearned runs on four more hits and two more errors.

“I’ve always been like a power hitter, so I need to make solid contact for it to go anywhere,” Pfeifer said. “I knew what I was looking for, especially in a 3-2 count. I went with my hands away from me to right-center. I just got the barrel on the ball.”

Pfeifer was 2 for 3 with her homer and scored twice out of the No. 6 hole, followed by a three-hit day from Krull in the seven spot and a pair of hits from Graysen Provance from eighth in the order.

Fighting Irish coach Brian Holman said that while Krull and Alyssa Zellers, the team’s leadoff-hitting shortstop, get most of the spotlight, the team is where they’re at because of their depth, as evidenced Tuesday.

“They ask about Tessa, we have Alyssa at the top, but really it’s our depth,” Holman said. “We’re a collection of parts.”

The Coalers (20-13) won a fourth straight regional title and had a third straight 20-win season. While his team didn’t think much about those accomplishments in the aftermath Tuesday, Coalers coach Rodney Monbrum hopes they can eventually look back with a smile.

Coal City's Madi Petersen, left, slides around a tag attempt from Seneca's Alyssa Zellers to steal second base during the Class 2A Seneca Sectional semifinals Tuesday, May 27, 2025.

Coal City's Madi Petersen, left, slides around a tag attempt from Seneca's Alyssa Zellers to steal second base during the Class 2A Seneca Sectional semifinals Tuesday, May 27, 2025. (Mason Schweizer)

“It’s been great,” Monbrum said. “I think they should be proud. They’ve done something that not many programs at Coal City have done with four straight regionals.”

Madi Petersen accounted for half of the damage on Krull, going 2 for 3 with a pair of stolen bases. Masyn Kuder pitched one of her best games of the season, allowing one earned run on nine hits and no walks.

While the Coalers closed the book on this season, the Fighting Irish are moving on to one of the most exciting sectional championship matchups in recent Class 2A memory. At 4:30 p.m. Friday, Seneca, ranked No. 4 in the Illinois Softball Coaches Association Class 2A Poll, will return to their home turf to take on second-ranked Beecher (33-2).

Holman said the scenes of Tuesday’s jam-packed, lively crowd gave him goosebumps, and he expects nothing less for Friday’s showdown. And as a self-proclaimed “champion of girls athletics” as the longtime girls basketball coach and softball coach, he said the girls deserve nothing less.

“It’s gonna be pretty cool,” Holman said. “The level of girls athletics in this area alone is incredible. It’s good for the girls, it creates memories, so hopefully we have another one Friday.”