Softball

Reed-Custer 18, Herscher 15: At home, the Comets (3-2, 1-0 Illinois Central Eight) opened conference play by outslugging the Tigers in a game that saw a combined 36 hits. After the Tigers scored seven runs in the top of the sixth to pull ahead 15-13, the Comets countered with five runs in the bottom of the inning.

Amber Syc was 4 for 4 with a home run, a double, five RBIs and four runs to power the Comets. Avery Vanek went 2 for 4 with two doubles, two RBIs and a run. Kamryn Wilkey, Caysie Esparza and Mackenzie Foote each had two-hit days. Esparza scored three runs and drove in a pair, Wilkey scored four runs and Foote scored twice and drove in a pair.

Keira Ahramovich was 4 for 4 with a triple, a double, three runs and two RBIs for Herscher (1-3, 0-1). Pippa Dunnill tripled three times, drove in three and scored twice. Anna Lesage, Mikaela Vadeboncouer and Lexi Crawford each had three-hit days. Lesage doubled, and her and Crawford each scored and drove in a run. Vadeboncouer drove in three and scored twice.

Bishop McNamara 8, Marian Catholic 6: At home, Joslynn Dole hit two home runs and pitched a complete game to lead the Fightin’ Irish (2-2). Dole hit a two-run blast and a solo shot, and also allowed six runs (two earned) on seven hits, five walks and six strikeouts. Emma Thyfault was 2 for 3 with a solo home run. Rhaya DePaolo also went 2 for 3, driving in three and scoring a run while also legging out a triple.

Bradley-Bourbonnais 14, Plainfield South 1 (5 inn.): On the road, the Boilermakers (7-1) scored at least three runs in four different innings. Leila Middlebrook was 2 for 4 with a home run, three RBIs and two runs. Alayna Sykes went 3 for 4, scored and drove in a run. Shannon Lee, Elise Munsterman and Bristol Schriefer each had two-hit, two-run days. Lee drove in a pair and Munsterman added an RBI.

Abbi Hofbauer pitched all five innings and allowed an earned run on three hits and nine strikeouts.

Kankakee 19, Thornton 1 (4 inn.): At Thornton, the Kays (1-1, 1-0 Southland) opened the conference season by tallying eight hits and six walks and taking advantage off 11 Thornton errors.

Lillian Landis went 2 for 3 with a double, two RBIs and four runs. Adleigh Cunningham had an RBI double and scored three runs. Mikaylah Santoyo also had a hit and scored three times. Kaleah Jackson hit a two-run double and scored three runs. Cunningham allowed an unearned run on a hit and two walks in a complete game, recording all 12 outs via strikeout.

Milford/Cissna Park 7, Paxton-Buckley-Loda 0: At Paxton, Ellie Schwartz struck out seven in a one-hit shutout for the Bearcats (3-1). Joie Girdler was 2 for 3 and scored. Madisyn Laffoon singled and drove in three, while Sydney Seyfert singled and drove in a pair. Addison Lucht was walked in all four of her trips to the plate, stole six bases and scored three runs.

Watseka 7, Clifton Central 4: At Clifton, a four-run third wound up being the difference for Watseka (5-1). Taylor Chattic was 3 for 4 with a double, two RBIs and a run. Kyah Westerfield and Christa Holohan each had a pair of hits, with Westerfield driving in a pair and Holohan scoring a run. Lilly Kingdon allowed four runs (two earned) on three hits, nine walks and 13 strikeouts.

Emily Ponton was 2 for 3 with a double, a run and an RBI for the Comets (1-3), who also got a hit from Keira Donnelly. Ponton went the distance in the circle, where only one of the seven runs she allowed were earned as the Comets committed five errors. Ponton surrendered 10 hits and fanned seven.

Grant Park 15, Heritage Christian 0 (4 inn.): At home, Mackenna Wells struck out 10 in an abbreviated perfect game for the Dragons (5-0). Adelyn Karstensen went 3 for 4 with a double, three RBIs and two runs. Cheyenne Hayes was 2 for 3 with two doubles, two RBIs and a run. Mia Foushi went 2 for 2 with a double and three runs.

Baseball

Herscher 12, Reed-Custer 0 (5 inn.): On the road, the Tigers (6-2, 1-0 ICE) scored seven first-inning runs, including a Mason Roberts two-run home run, and never looked back. Tanner Jones also homered as part of a 2 for 4 day that included a double, four RBIs and two runs. Colton Carson doubled twice, scored twice and drove in two. Nash Brubaker was 3 for 3 with a double and struck out six in a two-hit shutout.

Jon Doran and Alex Fierro each had hits for the Comets (0-5, 0-1). Cole Yeates allowed an unearned run on two hits, a walk and a strikeout in three innings of relief.

Manteno 6, Lisle 4: At home, Tyler Buehler scored on a passed ball just moments before Jake Stevens’ RBI double drove in Logan Bufford for a decisive two-run sixth for Manteno (4-0, 1-0 ICE). Buehler doubled, tripled, drove in a run and scored twice. Bufford also had a pair of hits, drove in two and scored. Connor Harrod allowed two earned runs on four hits, a walk and six strikeouts to earn the relief win.

Clifton Central 10, Watseka 0 (6 inn.): At home, the Comets (2-2) scored nine of their runs in the fifth and sixth innings and saw Brayden Meents strike out nine in a six-hit shutout. Reece Boudreau homered, singled and drove in a pair. Derek Meier singled and scored three runs and Blake Chandler doubled and scored twice.

Watseka (3-2) got a pair of hits from Andrew Yates. Ethan Price was sharp in his start, allowing an earned run on two hits, 10 strikeouts and three walks in four innings.

Peotone 4, Streator 2: At Streator, Kayden Derkacy’s three-run homer in the first propelled the Blue Devils (1-2, 1-0 ICE) to their first win. Declan McMaster, Tyler Leitelt and Cole Peppers each singled and scored, while Lincoln Tierney had an RBI single. Leitelt allowed a pair of unearned runs on seven hits and eight strikeouts in a complete game.

Paxton-Buckley-Loda 10, Milford 3: On the road, Aiden Frerichs was a homer short of the cycle, drove in a run and scored for the Bearcats (3-3). Lucas Summers allowed six runs (five earned) on six hits, a walk and three strikeouts in 3⅓ innings.

Beecher 9, Gardner-South Wilmington 6: At Gardner, the Bobcats (5-1, 1-0 River Valley) scored seven runs in the final three innings for a comeback RVC opener. Tyler Doran was 3 for 4 with a double, two RBIs and a run. Nicholas Fox, Easton Lane and Chase Maher had two hits apiece. Gavin VanNess allowed an earned run on two hits, four walks and 10 strikeouts over five relief innings.

Reed Millette crushed a two-run homer for the Panthers (3-1, 0-1). Brock Enerson and Owen Vitko each went 2 for 3 with a double, with Vitko scoring and driving in a pair. Caden Christensen allowed four runs (two earned) on eight hits, a walk and six strikeouts in five innings.

Girls soccer

Beecher 2, Manteno 0: At home, Grace Durante had a goal in each half, while Mikenna Burdick had 10 saves and assisted one of Durante’s goals for the Bobcats (4-0).

No individual stats were immediately available for Manteno (3-1).

Herscher 8, Bishop McNamara 0: At home, London Schneider and Sophie Venckauskas, while Gianna High had a pair of goals and three assists for the Tigers (5-0). Danica Woods and Gianni Jaime had a pair of assists apiece, with Jaime becoming the school’s new career assist leader (81). Addie Wilkins had six saves.

No stats were available for the Fightin’ Irish (0-1).

Peotone 2, Joliet Catholic 0: No individual stats were immediately available for the host Blue Devils (0-2).