NewsTribune Class 1A/2A regional baseball preview

Putnam County, Henry-Senachwine looking to repeat as regional champions

Woodland/Flanagan-Cornell's Connor Dodge dives safely back to the first-base bag as Putnam County first baseman Jackson McDonald receives a throw Thursday, May 4, 2023, at Putnam County High School.

Small school baseball teams around the state begin their postseason journeys Monday. Here’s a look at all the Class 1A and Class 2A regionals involving NewsTribune-area teams.

Class 1A Marquette Regional

Schedule

Monday: No. 8 Somonauk (13-8) at No. 7 Serena (14-11); No. 9 Newark (10-19) at No. 5 Yorkville Christian (11-10), 4:30 p.m.

Wednesday: No. 1 Marquette (25-2) vs. Serena/Somonauk winner, 4:30 p.m.

Thursday: No. 3 St. Bede (20-6) vs. Yorkville Christian/Newark winner, 4:30 p.m.

Saturday: Championship, 1 p.m.

Worth noting: The Bruins have been playing well, winning 9 of their last 10 regular season games. St. Bede won the Three Rivers Conference East Division championship in the Bruins’ last year in the league. The Bruins beat TRC West champ Orion 12-9 on Friday. St. Bede has not played Yorkville Christian, Newark of Marquette. The Bruins play Putnam County in their regular season finale Monday. Last spring as a No. 8 seed, the Bruins put up a fight against the top-seeded Crusaders in a regional semifinal, losing 6-5. Marquette went on to place third in Class 1A. The Crusaders have been to state three times in the last four seasons, winning the state championship in 2019.

Next step: Winner advances to the Harvest Christian Sectional to face the winner of the North Shore Country Day Regional.

Class 2A Orion Regional

Schedule

Monday: No. 9 Alleman (3-17) at No. 7 Riverdale (7-14), No. 10 Rockridge (7-18) at No. 6 Mercer County (12-13), 4:30 p.m.

Wednesday: No. 1 Orion (22-9) vs. Riverdale/Alleman winner, 4:30 p.m.; No. 3 Hall (19-8) vs. Mercer County/Rockridge winner, 6:30 p.m.

Saturday: Championship, 11 a.m.

Worth noting: The Red Devils have not played Mercer County or Rockridge. If Hall wins its semifinal, the Red Devils will likely have a rematch with Orion. The Chargers beat Hall 6-1 on April 26 in Orion. The Red Devils are looking to snap a two-season postseason drought after winning three consecutive regional titles from 2017-19, including the 2018 state championship.

Next step: Winner advances to the Knoxville Sectional to play the winner of the Farmington Regional.

Class 1A Putnam County Regional

Schedule

Monday: No. 11 Leland at No. 10 Indian Creek (9-10), No. 12 Earlville (0-16) at No. 6 Hinckley-Big Rock (14-11), 4:30 p.m.

Wednesday: No. 2 Aurora Christian (18-9) vs. Indian Creek/Leland winner, 4:30 p.m.

Thursday: No. 4 Putnam County (17-13) vs. H-BR/Earlville winner, 4:30 p.m.

Saturday: Championship, 11 a.m.

Worth noting: Putnam County is looking to repeat as regional champions. Last spring, the Panthers advanced to the Harvest Christian Sectional final where they lost to Marquette. The Panthers, who play St. Bede in the regular season finale Monday, have their entire roster healthy for the first time since mid March. Putnam County hasn’t played Earlville, Hinckley-Big Rock or Aurora Christian this season.

Next step: Winner advances to the Harvest Christian Sectional to play the winner of the Harvest Christian Regional.

Class 2A Oregon Regional

Schedule

Monday: No. 8 Mendota (5-13) at No. 7 Oregon (14-13), No. 11 West Carroll (0-16) at No. 5 Rock Falls (11-15), 4:30 p.m.

Wednesday: No. 1 Rockford Christian (15-5) vs. Oregon/Mendota winner, 4:30 p.m.

Thursday: No. 4 Stillman Valley (17-15) vs. Rock Falls/West Carroll winner, 4:30 p.m.

Saturday: Championship, 10 a.m.

Worth noting: The Trojans will reunite with former Big Northern Conference foe Oregon in the first round.

Next step: Winner advances to the Stillman Valley Sectional to face the winner of the Johnsburg Regional.

Class 2A Princeton Regional

Schedule

Monday: No. 11 Erie-Prophetstown (2-20) at No. 8 Kewanee (5-20), 4:30 p.m.

Wednesday: No. 2 Sherrard (22-6) vs. Kewanee/E-P winner, 4:30 p.m.

Thursday: No. 4 Princeton (14-6) vs. No. 5 Bureau Valley (13-12), 4:30 p.m.

Saturday: Championship, 1 p.m.

Worth noting: The rival Tigers and Storm will meet in the semifinals. Princeton swept the season series against Bureau Valley, winning 3-0 and 12-2 in five innings. Last season in the Princeton Regional, the No. 6-seeded Tigers were upset by No. 8 Erie-Prophetstown in a quarterfinal. The No. 5 Storm upset No. 3 Riverdale in the semis before losing 5-2 to E-P in the regional final.

Next step: Winner advances to the Knoxville Sectional to face the winner of the Macomb Regional.

Class 1A Stark County Regional

Schedule

Monday: No. 10 Galva (1-15) at No. 8 Midland (5-21), 4:30 p.m.

Wednesday: No. 2 Peoria Christian (19-5) vs. Midland/Galva winner, 4:30 p.m.

Thursday: No. 3 Henry-Senachwine (18-6) vs. No. 6 Stark County (9-17-1), 4:30 p.m.

Saturday: Championship, 11 a.m.

Worth noting: The Mallards are looking to repeat as regional champions. Henry has several key players back who played key roles in last year’s regional run. Lance Kiesewetter threw a two-hit shutout with 17 strikeouts in a 4-0 win over Annawan-Wethersfield in the regional final. Mason Johnson, Colton Williams, Preston Rowe and Mason Guarnieri also started in last year’s regional final. The Mallards won eight of their last nine games, including a 7-4 win over Stark County on April 28.

Next step: Winner advances to the Illinois Wesleyan Sectional to play the winner of the LeRoy Regional.

Class 2A Eureka Regional

Schedule

Monday: No. 10 Fieldcrest (7-13) at No. 8 Deer Creek-Mackinaw (11-16), 4:30 p.m.

Wednesday: No. 1 Eureka (28-2) vs. Dee-Mack/Fieldcrest winner, 4:30 p.m.

Thursday: No. 3 Pontiac (13-11) vs. No. 6 El Paso-Gridley (13-12), 4:30 p.m.

Saturday: Championship, 11 a.m.

Worth noting: The Knights are familiar with the field with four of the five teams being from the Heart of Illinois Conference. Fieldcrest lost 3-0 to Dee-Mack on April 20 and lost 15-4 to Eureka on April 5.

Next step: Winner advances to the Millikin University Sectional to play the winner of the Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley Regional.