Photos: Rockridge beats Mercer County 6-1 in Class 2A regional softball semifinal
Rockridge kept its quest for a third consecutive softball state title alive Tuesday, May 23, 2023, with a 6-1 victory against Mercer County in an Illinois Class 2A regional semifinal in Edgington.
Payton Brown led off the bottom of the first inning with a home run to center field, and before the inning ended the Rockets enjoyed a 4-0 lead.
Mercer County coach Dustin Murray, left, joins the umpires, Rockridge coach John Nelson and the captains for the Rockets in the pregame meeting before their Class 2A softball regional semifinal Tuesday, May 23, 2023, in Edgington.
Mercer County first baseman Gabriella McPeek takes a drink of water before the action begins.
Rockridge right fielder Morgan Hofer makes a diving attempt to catch a foul ball in the top of the first inning.
Rockridge center fielder Kori Needham fields a first-inning single off the bat of Mercer County's Alivia Gillespie.
Mercer County left fielder Riley King watches a pitch come toward her in the top of the first inning.
Alivia Gillespie of Mercer County dives back into first base as a pickoff throw gets away from Rockridge first baseman Estellah Bognar in the first inning.
Rockridge first baseman Estellah Bognar steps on the bag to retire Mercer County's Madi Frieden on a ground ball to Bognar to end the top of the first inning Tuesday, May 23, 2023, in Edgington.
Mercer County's infielders prepare to start the bottom of the first inning after fielding grounders.
Mercer County pitcher Elsie Cook delivers a pitch to Rockridge leadoff batter Payton Brown in the bottom of the first inning of their Class 2A softball regional semifinal game Tuesday, May 23, 2023.
Rockridge players greet Payton Brown at home plate after she opened the bottom of the first inning with a home run to center field. The Rockets added three more runs in the inning and never looked back on their way to a 6-1 victory.
Payton Brown, 22, of Rockridge is patted on her batting helmet after blasting a leadoff home run in the bottom of the first inning.
Mercer County second baseman Sydney Lamkin throws to first base after forcing out Rockridge courtesy runner Charley Perkins on Kori Needham's ground ball to third base in the first inning.
Rockridge third baseman Taylor Dieterich connects with the ball and launches a ground-rule double to left field in the bottom of the first inning against Mercer County.
Mercer County left fielder Riley King races toward the fence, chasing after a ground-rule double by Rockridge's Taylor Dieterich in the first inning Tuesday in Edgington.
The ball leaves the bat of Rockridge second baseman Cierra Bush in the first inning. Bush drove in the Rockets' second run with an infield single.
Cierra Bush of Rockridge beats the throw to first base for an infield hit in the first inning against Mercer County in a Class 2A regional semifinal softball game Tuesday, May 23, 2023, in Edgington. The hit drove in the second run of the inning, and the third scored on an error on the play.
Mercer County right fielder Natalie Thomson picks up a first-inning single by Rockridge's Mikaylin Hofer and drove in the Rockets' fourth run of the inning.
Rockridge's Cierra Bush slides safely into home plate, beating the throw from right field to Mercer County catcher Kaylee Gray and scoring Rockridge's fourth run in the bottom of the first inning.
Mikaylin Hofer of Rockridge is safe at second as she advances on the throw following her RBI single in the bottom of the first inning Tuesday, May 23, 2023.
Rockridge junior Kendra Lewis delivers a pitch to a Mercer County batter in the top of the second inning of Tuesday's regional semifinal softball game in Edgington.
Kendra Lewis fires in a pitch for Rockridge in the second inning.
Rockridge shortstop Payton Brown fields a ground ball from Mercer County's Halle Schreurs and turns into a fielder's choice forceout at second base in the second inning.
Rockridge first baseman Estellah Bognar makes a diving attempt to catch a foul ball off the bat of Mercer County's Maddy Campbell-Baker in an Illinois Class 2A sectional semifinal.
Cierra Bush of Rockridge fields a ground ball off the bat of Mercer County's Kaylee Gray in the second inning.
Cierra Bush throws the ball to first base to record the final out in the top of the second inning.
Rockridge batter Kendra Lewis takes a swing in the bottom of the second inning against Mercer County on Tuesday, May 23, 2023, in a Class 2A regional semifinal softball game in Edgington.
Fans take in the action along the outfield fence.
Alivia Gillespie of Mercer County swings at a pitch from Rockridge's Kendra Lewis (7) in the third inning.
Rockridge right fielder Morgan Hofer comes up throwing after fielding a ball in the right-field corner that was ruled a foul ball in the top of the third inning.
Mercer County shortstop Madi Frieden races toward second base but can't reach the ball that bounces off the bag and into center field for a third-inning single by Rockridge's Daytonah Downing in the bottom of the third inning of the Rockets' 6-1 victory.
Mercer County third baseman Halle Schreurs throws out Rockridge's Estellah Bognar to end the bottom of the third inning.
Madi Frieden of Mercer County beats the throw to Rockridge third baseman Taylor Dieterich for a stolen base in the top of fourth inning Tuesday in Edgington. Frieden scored the Golden Eagles' lone run moments later on a double by Halle Schreurs.
Rockridge center fielder Kori Needham tracks down a run-scoring double in the right-center gap by Mercer County's Halle Schreurs.
Mercer County coach Dustin Murray, left, congratulates the Golden Eagles' Madi Frieden in between innings after she scored her team's lone run and pulled it within 4-1 of Rockridge in the top of the fourth inning of the Class 2A softball regional semifinal game in Edgington.
Rockridge's Payton Brown (22) slides safely into second base, beating the throw to Mercer County's Sydney Lamkin for a one-out double in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Mercer County fans react with disbelief when Rockridge's Payton Brown is called safe at second base with a fourth-inning double.
Riley King of Mercer County goes back deep into left field to catch a fly ball from Rockridge's Kendra Lewis in the fourth inning.
Rockridge pitcher races to her left to reach a ball off the bat of Mercer County's Natalie Thomson in the fifth inning.
Rockridge pitcher Kendra Lewis reaches a ground ball in the fifth inning.
Kendra Lewis of Rockridge prepares to toss the ball to first baseman Estellah Bognar on a fifth-inning ground ball off the bat of Mercer County's Natalie Thomson.
Kendra Lewis makes the toss to Rockridge first baseman Estellah Bognar as they erase Mercer County's Natalie Thomson on a 1-3 groundout for the second out of the fifth inning Tuesday, May 23, 2023, in a Class 2A softball regional semifinal game in Edgington.
Madi Frieden of Mercer County beats the tag by Rockridge shortstop Payton Brown for a stolen base in the top of the sixth inning.Â
Rockridge shortstop Payton Brown catches a popup for the second out in the sixth inning.
Flags signifying Rockridge's state titles in 2021 and 2022 flap in the breeze.
Mercer County coach Dustin Murray, right, and Madi Frieden express their displeasure with the call when Frieden was ruled out on an attempted steal of third base to end the top of the sixth inning.
Mercer County catcher Kaylee Gray beats third baseman Halle Schreurs to the ball but is unable to throw out Rockridge's Morgan Hofer on a bunt single in the bottom of the sixth inning Tuesday. Pinch runner Charley Perkins raced from first to third on the hit. The Rockets added a pair of insurance runs in the inning on the way to a 6-1 victory.
Charley Perkins of Rockridge celebrates after advancing from first base to third base on a bunt single in the top of the sixth inning.
Charley Perkins of Rockridge claps her hands after advancing from first base to third base on a bunt single in the top of the sixth inning. Perkins pushed the Rockets' lead to 5-1 moments later when she scored on a single by Kendra Lewis.
Rockridge's Kori Needham lays down a bunt in the sixth inning that scores the team's final run in its 6-1 victory.
Courtesy runner Stella Riley is called out at home plate after trying to score from second base on Kori Needham's sixth-inning bunt single.
Rockridge players celebrate following their 6-1 victory against Mercer County in a Class 2A softball regional semifinal Tuesday, May 23, 2023, in Edgington.
Rockridge senior center fielder Kori Needham, 20, leads her teammates through the handshake line after the two-time defending state champion Rockets advanced to the Class 2A regional championship with a 6-1 win against visiting Mercer County on Tuesday in Edgington.
The two-time reigning IHSA Class 2A state softball champion Rockridge Rockets expected a tough battle with first-time regional winner Mercer County in Tuesday's 2A Rockridge Sectional semifinals, and the Golden Eagles obliged. However, a four-run first inning gave the Rockets an early burst in a 6-1 win that sends them to Friday's sectional title game.
