TUESDAY SOFTBALL: Gillespie retains SCC crown; Calhoun stuns Triopia

May 13-Gillespie Miners softball had already extended its streak of 20-win seasons to six in a row and nine of 10.

On Tuesday, the Miners pushed their streak of South Central Conference championships to six in a row and nine of 10.

Sadie Sholtis homered and Paxton Reid went the distance to lead Gillespie to a 5-2 victory over the Hillsboro Hiltoppers in a SCC game at BenGil Elementary in Gillespie. The Toppers dip to 17-7 and 5-3 in the league.

The Miners improve to 22-9 and 8-0 in the SCC. Gillespie has clinched at least a share of the conference crown - Greenville is done at 8-1 - and can secure a sixth successive outright title by beating Staunton on Wednesday in Gillespie.

Sholtis had two RBI and matched Ava Parish with two hits each for the Miners, with Parish scoring three runs. Gillespie broke a 1-1 tie with two runs in the third inning and Reid took it from there, allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits, four walks and four strikeouts.

Peyton Chappelear had two hits, including a sixth-inning homer for the Hiltoppers, with Lainey Lessman taking the complete-game loss.

Calhoun 9, Concord Triopia 8 - The Warriors pulled off the upset by beating the previously unbeaten Trojans in the championship game of the WIVC Tournament at Future Champions Sports Complex in Jacksonville. Calhoun is 15-12. Triopia had its 24-game winning streak snapped and drops to 24-1.

Triopia, which beat the Warriors 13-4 on March 24 in Hardin, rallied with three runs in the seventh inning, but left the bases loaded when Calhoun's Anabel Eilerman got a strikeout to end the game and preserve a one-run victory.

Eilerman, who left earlier in the seventh and returned to the circle after reliever Riley Pohlman got a strikeout and a walk, gave eight runs on 10 hits with four walks and nine strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings for the win.

Layla Longnecker and Bralyn Lammy both had two hits, with Lammy joining Eilerman, Carly Pohlman and Kiera Sievers all driving in two runs for the Warriors. The Trojans, who had six extra-base hits, got home runs from Lucie Dion and Mia McCombs, with Mylee Tracy pitching six innings and getting the loss.

Staunton 15, Father McGivney 0 - The Bulldogs struck for five runs in the first inning and put the Griffins away with six runs in the third and four runs in the fourth to finish off a four-inning nonconference win at Staunton. The Dogs are 12-9. McGivney is 10-11.

Grace Burris tossed a perfect game for Staunton, retiring all 12 Griffins she faced while striking out seven. Caitlyn Matesa had three hits and three RBI, Kelsey Wempe drove in three runs and both Lainey Weller and Maddy Callovini had two hits for the Bulldogs.

Southwestern 4, East Alton-Wood River 1 - The Oilers took a 1-0 lead after one inning before the Birds tied it in the third and scored single runs in each of the final three innings to pick up the nonconference victory at Leroy Emerick Field in Wood River. Southwestern is 15-10. EA-WR is 5-18.

Sydney Timpe pitched a three-hitter, yielding a run with six walks and three strikeouts for the complete-game win. Josie Hagen had two RBI and joined Vivian Zurheide and Hannah Mary with two hits each for the Birds.

Losing pitcher Ellie Beachum struck out 16 and walked five while giving four runs (two earned) on six hits for the Oilers. Emily Fry had two hits for EA-WR.

Jersey 10, Granite City 1 - The Panthers opened with a pair of three-run innings to lead 6-0 and beat the Warriors in a nonconference game at Jerseyville. Jersey is 16-8. Granite is 4-19.

Jena Pegram fired a one-hitter for the Panthers, allowing an unearned run with one walk and 10 strikeouts. Marley Cazier had two hits and three RBI and both Pegram and Chloe Beemer had two hits for the Panthers.

Jersey junior Anna Kribs, who set single-season school records for homers and RBI in Monday's 11-1 win over Highland, drove in her 42nd run. Kribs' 10 homers and 42 RBI breaks Jersey records of nine homers by Caroline Gibson in 2022 and 40 RBI by Bethany Muenstermann in 2016.

Civic Memorial 10, Highland 0 - The Eagles scored runs in five of the game's six innings to beat the Bulldogs in a Mississippi Valley Conference date at Bethalto Sports Complex. CM is 9-16 and 1-8 in the MVC. Highland is 3-19 and 0-9 in the Valley. The Dogs have lost 12 in a row and have scored just three runs in their last 11 games. The Eagles and Bulldogs play again Wednesday in Highland.

Centralia CORL 17, Marquette Catholic 7 - The Silver Stallions drew off from an 8-7 lead to beat the Explorers in a six-inning Gateway Metro Conference game at Moore Park in Alton. Christ Our Rock Lutheran is 11-6. Marquette is 7-11.

After three scoreless innings, the Stallions broke out for eight runs in the fourth before the Explorers answered with seven runs in the bottom of the inning. Jayla Dickson had two hits and two RBI and Olivia Corn had two RBI for the Explorers.

Belleville East 12, Alton 4 - The Lancers led 3-1 after one inning and beat the Redbirds in a Southwestern Conference game in Godfrey. East is 26-7 and 10-1 in the SWC. Alton, which got two hits and two RBI from Lilly Henkhaus, is 8-24 and 4-8 in the league.

Edwardsville 18, East St. Louis 0 - Eight runs in the first inning and five runs in both the second and third powered the Tigers past the Flyerettes in a SWC game at Edwardsville. The Tigers are 24-9 and 10-1 in the league. East Side is 1-18 and 0-11 in the SWC.

Lily Stone had a triple and home run with three RBI for Edwardsville, which got four RBI from Remi Werden, two hits and two RBI from Marley Fox, two hits from Bryar Ellinger and two RBI each from Maksine Straub, Savanna Lewis and Marissa Wiley. Fox gave one hit with no walks and seven strikeouts in three innings for the win.

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This story was originally published May 13, 2026 at 6:43 PM.