The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
by Emily Klossing
For the 2022 softball season, West Central Middle moved from class 1A to 2A in the IESA, but that did not stop this group of hard-working, determined girls. They walked away from Champion Fields with the 3rd place trophy for the second consecutive year. Friday morning, the staff and students at WCMS celebrated the team with a pep assembly and send-off. Local fire departments and police officers lead the charter bus and parent caravan out of town and toward the north campus. Many community members lined the streets in Stronghurst and Biggsville and the staff and students lined the bus lane at the north campus to cheer the team on to Normal.
The Heat took on the Pleasant Plains Cardinals in the Elite Eight on Friday. The Cardinals were the first to strike in the second inning with a hard hit double on an 0-2 count that scored two runs. That didn’t stop the Heat. They came out in the third and pulled away for good with three runs of their own. Lilly Higgins singled on the first pitch of her at bat scoring one run. Payton Eisnnicher grounded out, scoring another run. And Kaylee Mills singled, scoring the third run of the inning. West Central tallied nine hits in the game. Higgins, Mills and Rebecca Hinshaw each had multiple hits. Miley Stimpson and Addy Burrell each contributed one hit. Stimpson led the Heat to victory in the circle allowing six hits and four runs over seven innings, striking out 13 and walking none. The final score was West Central 5, Pleasant Plains 4 advancing the Heat to the Final Four.
The first game of the day on Saturday, West Central fell to Braidwood Reed-Custer who went on to win the Class AA State Championship. Reed-Custer scored their first two runs in the top of the first inning with a single on a full count with two outs. The Heat gave their best effort, but came up short. Lilly Higgins led the team with two hits, while Rylie Ferguson had one hit and one base on balls. Rebecca Hinshaw and Addy Burrell also made it on base with one walk each.
Miley Stimpson started the game for the Heat and pitched six and a third innings, allowing seven hits and five runs while striking out ten. Hinshaw came out of the bullpen to throw two-thirds of an inning to finish the game. The final score was Reed-Custer 5, West Central 3.
Following a heart-breaking loss, the Heat came out fired up in the consolation game against the Downs Tri-Valley Vikings. Lilly Higgins doubled on the first pitch of her at bat in the first inning scoring the first run and got things going for West Central.
The Vikings took their turn to score with a sac bunt in the second inning to tie things up and then took a one-run lead in the third. However the Heat dug in and scored three runs in the fourth inning and never looked back. Addy Burrell singled, scoring two runs and Lilly Higgins lined out driving in another run.
The Heat continued their rally in the fifth with RBIs by Rebecca Hinshaw, Higgins, Burrell, Miley Stimpson, and Kaylee Mills. Hinshaw earned the win for the Heat pitching all seven innings, allowing only four hits and three runs, while striking out 13 and only walking one. The Heat racked up an impressive 12 hits in the game. Burrell, Brooklyn Eisnnicher, Payton Eisnnicher, and Mills each had multiple hits. Hinshaw and Rylie Ferguson each had one hit. KayleeAnn Tomson managed to steal four bases as a courtesy runner for the Heat The final score was West Central Heat 10, Downs Tri-Valley Vikings 3.
The Heat finished their season with a record of 23-3. West Central is led by head coach Dylan Voyles and assistant coaches Hallie Eisnnicher, Amanda Corzatt, and Brad Ferguson. Congratulations on another successful season. We look forward to next year!
West Central Middle School Heat Softball Girls won 3rd in the State Championship this past Saturday. Celebrating are Miley Stimpson, Hayli Strange, Layla Cook, Lia Klossing, Rebecca Hinshaw, Addy Burrell, Jenna Bewley, Zoey McIntyre, Laney Salyers, Logan Thompson, Addalyn McSparen, and Nadia Good, KayleeAnn Tomson, Linny Corzatt, Brooklyn Eisnnicher, Payton Eisnnicher, Lilly Higgins, Kaylee Mills, Macee McConnell, Rylie Ferguson, Payton Link, Taelyn Kelly, and Lexi Alsager. -