Lady Panthers rally to advance to state

GOING TO STATE! The Reed-Custer Middle School A softball team won the sectional title on Saturday at Bishop McNamara School in Kankakee. The Lady Panthers now advance to state, playing on Friday at Champions Field in Normal. Team members include (from left, kneeling) Gracie Robinson, Amber Syc, Reese Brown, Caysie Esparza, Kamryn Wilkey and Peyton Landgraff. Standing are assistant coach Taylor Meents, head coach Lynn Zoltani, Kamrynn Skonetski, Sophie Moyers, Kirstin Klein, Taylor Bova, Brooklyn Gonzalez, Mackenzie Foote, Atiana Hood, Harlie Liebermann and helpers Addi Brown and Mya Beard.
Courtesy photo

For the first time in school history, Reed-Custer Middle School will be sending a softball team to state.
The 8th grade Lady Panthers edged Beecher 4-3 on Saturday during the Bishop McNamara sectional to advance to state.
RCMS will play Westville JHS at 4 p.m. on Friday at Champion Fields in Normal. If the Lady Panthers (14-3) beat Westville (14-2) they will advance to the semifinal at noon on Saturday against the winner of Stronghurst West Central (21-2) vs. Pleasant Plains (16-4).
The semifinal winner plays for the championship at 4 p.m. while the loser plays for third place at 2 p.m.
In the sectional game Saturday, Beecher built a 3-0 lead after three innings but the Lady Panthers never gave up. They answered with one run in the fourth before scoring three runs in the fifth and held on to win.
Pitcher Reese Brown threw all seven innings for Reed-Custer, contributing a triple and a single while stealing three bases and scoring a run.
Mackenzie Foote smacked a big two-RBI double, had a stolen base and scored a run. Caysie Esparza also had a hit and a stolen base.
Brown struck out eight batters while giving up three runs (one earned) off nine hits while walking two.
Regional Champs
The Lady Panthers claimed the Morris regional championship for the second year in a row with 11 hits and only one error last Tuesday.
They beat Ottawa Marquette 7-2 after the score was tied 1-1 through four innings. The Lady Panthers took a 3-1 lead in the fifth, then scored three runs in the sixth before tallying one in the seventh.
The Panthers played an outstanding game. Leading the way were Mackenzie Foote, Reese Brown and Sophie Moyers with a single and a double for four RBIs. Amber Syc, Kamryn Wilkey, Kirstin Klein and Taylor Bova all had a base hit. Reese Brown pitched a great game with 8 strike outs and only one walk.