High School Sports
Strong showing for Gillespie High School softball
The Gillespie High School softball team picked up another win on the season, defeating Lincolnwood with a final score of 9-0 on Monday, April 22.
Emma Gipson earned the win for Gillespie. Gipson proved to be a powerhouse in the circle, giving up only one hit on the evening with zero runs scored, striking out 11 batters in seven innings of work. Taryn Millburg pocketed the loss for Lincoln. Millburg put in six innings of work, surrendering nine runs on seven hits, striking out five, and giving up four walks.
Gillespie jumped on the board first with a RBI off of the bat of Sadie Sholtis. Sholtis racked up two RBIs on the evening, with one run scored. Ava Parish was dynamic in the leadoff spot, going 2 for 3 at the plate with 3 runs scored and drawing one walk. Macie Wright and Laci Shuckenbrock went 2 for 3 in the game. Shuckenbrock drove in 2 runs. Gipson also had 2 RBIs on the night.
Parish was electric on the base path, collecting two stolen bases. Gipson and Sholtis each had one stolen base throughout the game.
Gipson was in the circle for another win for Gillespie, on Wednesday, April 24. Gillespie dominated over Carlinville with a final score of 7 to 0.
Gipson pitched a full game, giving up five hits and no runs, striking out 10. Hallie Gibson took the loss for Carlinville. Gibson gave up seven runs on eight hits, striking out seven.
Gillespie was patient at the plate, drawing a collective six walks in the ballgame. Paxton Reid had a strong showing in the batter’s box, going 2 for 3 with 2 RBIs. Lauren Bertagnolli, Wrigley Releford, Parish, Sholtis, Wright, and Shuckenbrock all collected a hit in the winning efforts. Gipson drew two walks on the night, plating one run.
Gillespie solidified their win over Carlinville, scoring five runs in the top of the seventh. Carlinville was unable to answer back in the bottom half of the inning.
Comments
The Gillespie High School baseball team had six players receive South Central Conference accolades, conference officials announced on Monday. The Miners had three named to the first team, two to the second team, and two to the third team.
Named to the first team included seniors Bryce Buhs as pitcher, Tristen Wargo as infielder, and Jesse Berry as outfielder. Wargo was also named to the conference’s second team as pitcher alongside sophomore Collin Griffith. Senior Jaydon Baker and junior Jack Kaylor were named to the third team as designated hitter/utility and outfielder, respectively.
Rounding out the conference’s first team included Nathan Matoush of Hillsboro in two places as pitcher and infielder; Marcus Payne, Rocky Darr and Hunter Newell of Southwestern; Carson Satthoff, Mathew Bywater, and Jake Gasperson of Litchfield; Aiden Hatalla of North Mac; Benjamin Hutchinson of Greenville; and Kale Konrad of Vandalia.
Joining Wargo and Griffith on the conference’s second team is Adam Hale, Colin LeMarr and Ryan Lowis of Southwestern; Carter Legendre and Dillon Pritchett of Staunton; Ethan Saathoff of Litchfield; Rowdy Sussenbach and Cohen Alstat of Greenville; Quinn Morrow of North Mac; and Andrew Kelly of Vandalia.
Third team honorees include Drake Curry, Cohen Alstat, Dominic Sanchez, and Hudson Alstat of Greenville; Carson Saathoff and Tate Dobrinich of Litchfield; Cade McCready and Collin Etter of North Mac; Ryan Karbach, Parker Moore, and Madyx Angel of Pana; Marcus Payne of Southwestern; Ayden Jones of Vandalia; and Noah Convery of Carlinville.
Comments
Eight players from the Gillespie Miners softball team were selected to the South Central Conference All-Conference teams, conference officials announced on Monday.
Being honored on the first team from Gillespie included senior Emma Gipson, juniors Delaney Taylor and Macie Wright, and sophomores Ava Parish and Paxton Reid. Senior Wrigley Releford and sophomore Sadie Sholtis were named to the conference’s second team while freshman Laci Shuckenbrock was named to the third team.
Other first-team honorees from around the conference include Carlinville’s Hallie Gibson and Isabella Tiburzi; Staunton’s Ele Feldmann, Taylor Nolan, and Lilly Troeckler; and Alexis Bowman of North Mac.
Joining Releford and Sholtis on the second team include Taylor Keirs and Ines Oprtigosa of North Mac; Gianna Bianco of Staunton; Abby McDonald of Southwestern; Braley Wiser and Hannah Gibson of Carlinville; Zoee Englert and Haylee Clark of Greenville; Brianna Mathis of Pana; Aubrey Evans of Hillsboro; and Madison Lupton of Vandalia.
Rounding out the third team are Joey Laker and Kennedy Bowker of Pana; EmmaLeigh Wilfong and Emma Bingham of Greenville; Addison Ruyle and Olivia Kunz of Carlinville; Vivian Zurheide and Ella Kadell of Southwestern; Korryn Keehner, Kylie Lucykow, and Sam Anderson of Staunton; Elise Walch of Litchfield; Karleigh Prose of North Mac; and Peyton Chappelear of Hillsboro.
Comments
In an emotional rollercoaster of a sectional final, Gillespie’s season came to a bittersweet end with a nail-biting 2-3 defeat at the hands of Newton this past Saturday, May 25.
Newton swooped in with a late-game rally, clinching the win over Gillespie. Tensions were high all game long. Newton made an explosive statement right out of the gates when Sally Mahaffey blasted a solo home run to right field. Gillespie’s response was swift, with a double from Emma Gipson in the bottom of the first to tie the game at one apiece.
The scoreboard remained unchanged as both teams dug in until the sixth inning, when Sadie Sholtis’ single sent a runner home, pushing Gillespie into the lead. A hit off the bat of Audrie Reich allowed Newton to tie the game up 2–2. Newton clinched the lead in the top of the eighth and held off Gillespie with three straight outs in the bottom of the eighth, taking the win.
Emma Gipson led Gillespie in the hit column, going 2 for 4 with one RBI. Sholtis went 1 for 2 at the plate with one run, one RBI, and two walks pocketed. Lauren Bertagnolli went 1 for 3 with one run plated. Wrigley Releford and Laci Shuckenbrock both had a hit in their efforts.
While this may not be the end that Gillespie hoped for, they still had a phenomenal season. Gillespie’s season record is a testament to their grit and tenacity ending 29-5 on the season. The Miners have three seniors departing the team including Lauren Bertagnolli, Emma Gipson, and Wrigley Releford.
