A look at the softball regionals involving NewsTribune-area teams.

3A Sterling Regional

Schedule

Tuesday - No. 4 La Salle-Peru (20-14) vs. No. 5 Sterling (17-15), 4:30 p.m.

Friday - Title game: No. 1 Sycamore (23-4) vs. L-P/Sterling winner, 4:30 p.m.

Worth noting: All three teams in the regional are familiar with each other. L-P beat Sterling 3-1 on Saturday without ace pitcher Taylor Vescogni in the circle. The Cavaliers lost both Interstate 8 Conference games against Sycamore, losing 3-2 in eight innings and 7-0. Sycamore defeated Sterling 11-4 on March 30. “It definitely helps,” L-P coach Randy Huebbe said about being familiar with the Cavs’ opponents. “But other than playing each other on Saturday, we really haven’t seen much of Sterling. Sycamore, on the other hand, both teams pretty much know what to expect. But we aren’t going to look past Sterling. They’re an awfully good team.” Huebbe expects a close game against Sycamore if the Cavs advance to the final. … The Cavs are 7-3 in their last 10 games. “We are definitely a much better team now than three weeks ago,” Huebbe said. “The girls have been working extremely hard to improve on what is needed. We’re not quite where we need to be, but I expect that we will be by the time we step on that field (Tuesday).” … All three teams in the regional are no strangers to postseason success. Sycamore and Sterling have each won 16 regional titles. The Spartans, who won the 2019 state title, have won regionals in five of the last six seasons, while Golden Warriors won 12 straight regionals from 2012-24 and won three state trophies during that stretch. L-P has five regional titles and a state runner-up finish in 2011, but the Cavs haven’t won a regional since 2013.

Next: Winner advances to the La Salle-Peru Sectional to play the winner of the Streator Regional at 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 26.

2A Prairie Central Regional

Schedule

Monday - No. 9 El Paso-Gridley (3-20) at No. 8 Paxton-Buckley-Loda (4-20), 4:30 p.m.

Tuesday - No. 1 St. Bede (28-4) vs. PBL/EPG winner, 4:30 p.m.

Wednesday - No. 4 Prairie Central (12-11) vs. No. 6 Bismark-Henning-Rossville-Alvin (13-17), 4:30 p.m.

Saturday - Title game, 11 a.m.

Worth noting: The Bruins will travel more than 140 miles and about 2½ hours round trip for the regional. “It is what it is,” St. Bede coach Rob Ruppert said. “We’ll get on the bus early, take a ride down there and we’ll do what we do. We’ll be ready.” … St. Bede, which has won four straight regional titles – the last two in 2A – hasn’t played any of the teams in the field. “We’re going to see some different teams,” Ruppert said. “We’ve seen El Paso in the past. All the rest of the teams we haven’t seen. We’ll go in, make adjustments at the plate and play our game.” … St. Bede has won 13 games in a row. The Bruins’ losses have come to Illinois Coaches Association Class 2A No. 3 Seneca (twice), 2A No. 7 Stillman Valley and Class 4A Hampshire (20-6). “We’re hitting the heck out of the ball and Macy (Strauch) is throwing well,” Ruppert said. “Hopefully, we can continue that.” … The Bruins would be without leadoff hitter/shortstop Lily Bosnich if they reach the title game as she competes at the state track and field meet.

Next: The winner moves on to the Pontiac Sectional to play the winner of the Seneca Regional at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 26.

2A Lexington Regional

Schedule

Tuesday - No. 2 Princeton (20-8) vs. No. 7 Hall (10-21), 4:30 p.m.; No. 3 Pontiac (16-12) vs. No. 5 Lexington (13-6), 6:15 p.m.

Friday - Title game, 4:30 p.m.

Worth noting: Princeton will travel 174 miles and 3 hours and Hall will travel 138 miles and 2½ hours to play in the semifinal. … The Tigresses and Red Devils split their Three Rivers Conference East Division games. Princeton won the first game 15-0 in four innings and Hall won the second game the next day 8-4. … Princeton is looking to win the second regional title in program history. The first game in 2019. Hall’s last regional title came in 2015 when coach Ellie Herrmann was a senior for the Red Devils. … Pontiac won the Class 3A state title in 2024 and won a 3A sectional last season but has dropped back to 2A, where the Indians placed fourth in 2022 and won a regional in 2023.

Next: The winner advances to play the winner of the Manteno Regional in the Pontiac Sectional at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 27.

2A Byron Regional

Schedule

Monday - No. 9 Boylan Catholic (8-14) at No. 8 Byron (7-19), 4:30 p.m.

Wednesday - No. 1 Stillman Valley (26-5) vs. Boylan/Byron winner, 4 p.m.; No. 4 Sandwich (17-13) vs. No. 5 Mendota (11-18), 6 p.m.

Friday - Title game, 5:30 p.m.

Worth noting: Mendota played Sandwich on May 13, losing 7-6. The only other team the Trojans have played in the field is Byron, which Mendota beat 10-8 on April 25. … Mendota is looking for its first regional title since winning back-to-back plaques in 2018 and 2019. … Stillman Valley is ranked No. 7 in the Illinois Coaches Association Class 2A poll. The Cardinals won a regional title last spring.

Next: Winner advances to the Marengo Sectional to play the winner of the Marian Central Catholic Regional at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 26.

1A Henry-Senachwine Regional

Schedule

Monday - No. 10 Fieldcrest (0-16) at No. 7 Putnam County (10-17), No. 11 Woodland (1-15) at No. 6 Amboy (10-10), 4:30 p.m.

Tuesday - No. 2 Henry-Senachwine (13-10) vs. PC/Fieldcrest winner, 5 p.m.

Wednesday - No. 3 Midland (15-14) vs. Amboy/Woodland winner, 5 p.m.

Friday - Title game, 5 p.m.

Worth noting: The Mallards begin their quest for a third consecutive regional championship at home. Henry won a sectional title last spring. … The Mallards are familiar with much of the field, having swept Putnam County (13-2, 6-4), Midland (9-1, 10-4) and Woodland (22-6, 21-1) in Tri-County Conference play. … The Panthers last won a regional in 2018. … Fieldcrest has lost its last 37 games.

Next: Winner moves on to the Williamsfield Sectional to face the winner of the West Central Regional at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 26.

1A Annawan-Wethersfield Regional

Schedule

Monday - No. 9 Lowpoint-Washburn/Roanoke-Benson (3-19) at No. 8 Princeville (7-24), 4:30 p.m.

Tuesday - No. 1 Stark County (17-9) vs. L-W/R-B/Princeville winner, 4 p.m.

Wednesday - No. 4 Annawan-Wethersfield (11-15) vs. No. 5 Bureau Valley (8-18), 4 p.m.

Friday - Title game, 4 p.m.

Worth noting: Bureau Valley enters the postseason on a five-game losing streak. The Storm’s last win was a 7-4 victory over Annawan-Wethersfield on May 9. BV also lost 4-3 to A-W that day as part of a Lincoln Trail Conference doubleheader. … The Storm were swept by Stark County (15-3, 11-2) and swept Princeville (9-4, 9-7) in LTC play. … Bureau Valley last won a regional in 2024.

Next: Winner moves on to the Williamsfield Regional to face the winner of the AlWood Regional at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 27.

1A Walther Christian Regional

Schedule

Monday - No. 9 Walther Christian (4-15) at No. 7 Harvest Westminster Christian (3-8), No. 11 Our Lady of Tepeyac (0-5) at No. 6 Indian Creek (4-20-1), 4:30 p.m.

Tuesday - No. 2 Earlville (13-10) at Walther Christian/Harvest Westminster winner, 4:30 p.m./No. 3 Newark (10-14) vs. Tepeyac/Indian Creek winner, 6:30 p.m.

Saturday - Title game, 10 a.m.

Worth noting: Earlville won its last three games entering the postseason. … The Red Raiders swept Newark (5-3, 13-9) and Indian Creek (3-2, 5-4) in Little Ten Conference play. … Earlville has played in and lost 10 regional finals since its last regional championship in 2006. Last spring, Earlville beat Indian Creek 5-3 in a regional semifinal before losing 17-0 to Newark in the title game. Newark has won nine consecutive regional titles. Indian Creek last won a regional in 2017.

Next: Winner advances to the Indian Creek Sectional to play the winner of the Serena Regional at 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 27.