by Steve Dunford

Normally I would separate this out into two stories.  The reason I like sports in general, is you can not predict the outcome.

Last Thursday, the Christopher Junior high boys baseball and junior high softball girls teams played in Class M. Regional Championship games.  Both faced Sesser-Valier.  The both won by the same final score of 4-3, the boys won in eight innings.

In the boys’ game Christopher Junior High Boys Baseball Coach Tim Leffer also added this which was ironic, “Colin Sveda was at the plate last year with the winning run on, facing the same pitcher, Gavin Woodland.  Last year he struck out, this year he hits a screamer into the right centerfield gap for the walkoff. ”   Some other events that took place in the eighth inning that coach Leffler told me about sounded like game 6 of the 2011 World Series.

 

Peyton Mazur and Mason Goins split time on the mound for the Bearcats last Thursday.  Including the game winning RBI’s mentioned above, Seveda drove in all four on the afternoon from the leadoff spot, which all the runners reached by a walk or HBP.  Trent Mauzr went 2-3 at the plate as well on the afternoon.

The Bearcats improved to 16-2 on the season after their win.   It was their third win of the season over Sesser-Valier, in which Coach Leffler said is not an easy task.

The only two blemishes on the Bearcats record was a 2-0 loss to Benton and a 10-9 loss to Carterville, who will be playing in the quarterfinals of the Class L State Tournament in Centralia on Saturday.

The Bearcats opening round game of the state tournament will be against O’ Fallon St. Clare Saturday morning at 9:30 a.m., at the Perry County Fairgrounds in Pinckneyville.

Now on to the girls.  I was going to use ladies first, but the bottom of the eighth in the boys game on Thursday added to one of the bizarre things that happened on the afternoon.

As mentioned above, the Christopher Lady Bearcats came away with a 4-3 win last Thursday to win the Johnston City Class M Regional crown.

Hannah Burzynski pitched a two hitter for the win, going 2-3 at the plate with a double and an RBI.  “She has been a big part of all our wins and is great under pressure. The top of the 7th was pretty intense with runners on and being up by one, but she’s gotten the job done all year and I know she will help carry us through the tournament,” according to Lady Bearcat softball coach Brooke Jones.

Courtney Parke went 1-3  with a double and 2RBI’s at the plate on the afternoon, and McKenzie Jackson went 1-2.

It was also a come from behind win for the Lady Cats as they gave S-V the lead early on from some miscues in the field.  It was also their third win of the year as well over the Lady Devils.

The Lady Cats also drew a Metro East team in the first round of the state tournament as they will face Shiloh in the quarterfinals of the Class M State Tournament, at 3:30 p.m., also at the Perry County Fairgrounds.

Good luck to both teams, and we will be keeping an eye on you down the tournament trail.