July 02, 2025
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Bi-County wins Major League Softball District 20 title

By Kevin Chlum
Members of the Bi-County Major League Softball team pose with their banner after beating Oglesby 9-4 on Thursday in the District 20 title game in Mendota.

Members of the Bi-County Major League Softball team pose with their banner after beating Oglesby 9-4 on Thursday in the District 20 title game in Mendota. (Kevin Chlum)

MENDOTA — Bi-County Major League Softball coach Shannon Jenkins said her team came into the District 20 Tournament with high expectations after a strong regular season.

During the regular season, the two Bi-County teams combined for just two losses with one coming when they played each other.

Bi-County lived up to the expectations Thursday as it scored five runs in the first inning, held off an Oglesby rally and tacked on four more in the sixth to win 9-4 to claim the district banner.

“It was very exciting,” Jenkins said. “We felt like we had a lot to prove because we were the ones that everybody was going to want to come after. We had the advantage with three to four pitchers deep and just a lot of very talented girls in all areas.”

Bi-County jumped on Oglesby right away in the top of the first inning.

Hannah Heiberger got things started with a one-out single.

After a strikeout, Alexis Margis hit an RBI double, Kennedy Holocker ripped an RBI triple, Finley Rue hit an RBI single and Paige Tonioni drew a bases-loaded walk in her second at-bat of the inning.

“It was comforting but at the same time, Oglesby is a tough bunch of kids and we knew we couldn’t take it for granted, that they would come back and we’d have to continue to fight throughout,” Jenkins said.

Oglesby made a pitching change during the first inning, bringing in Sydney Delphi, who shut Bi-County down in the second through fifth innings, allowing no runs or hits and striking out 10 batters those four innings.

With Delphi holding Bi-County, Oglesby clawed back into the game.

In the bottom of the first, Kennedy Kramarsic led off with a walk, stole second base and eventually scored on a wild pitch.

Kramarsic tripled and scored on a groundout in the third.

Oglesby added two more in the fifth to pull within 5-4.

Delphi singled and a run scored on an error on the play and Roselee Lenninger followed with an RBI single.

“I thought we played great,” Oglesby coach Rick Delphi said. “We fell behind early in the game and ended up coming back. We made a pitching change and a couple defensive changes and that was all it took to hold them for five innings, but they ended up coming back at the end.”

Clinging to a one-run lead, Sarah Schennum laid down a bunt single to start the top of the sixth for Bi-County.

She stole second, took third on a wild pitch and scored on another wild pitch.

Myah Richardson drew a walk, and after a strikeout, Tonioni and Heiberger hit back-to-back RBI singles and Britney Trinidad later was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to extend Bi-County’s lead to 9-4.

“Sarah Schenumm came in and she was giventhe bunt sign and she had the picture perfect bunt to get the rally going,” Jenkins said. “Maya Richardson took a walk and Piper (Terando) came in to pinch run and things just happened from there and we got the second rally of the game going.”

Holocker then set Oglesby down in order in the bottom of the sixth to secure the win for Bi-County.

She pitched three innings, allowing two runs on three hits while striking out five batters.

Heiberger was the winning pitcher, giving up two runs on two hits with two strikeouts and three walks in three innings.

Bi-County advances to the state tournament, which begins Saturday in River Forest.