(Freeport, IL) – Waubonsee Community College saw its' season come to an end over the weekend at the Region IV Division II District B Softball Tournament. After a 6-1 loss on Saturday to top-seeded Bryant & Stratton (WI) College, the fifth-seeded Chiefs then bounced perennial power and second-seeded Kankakee Community College from the tournament with a 2-1 victory. Needing a win over third-seeded Highland Community College on Sunday to advance to the title round, Waubonsee fell to the Cougars 2-1 ending their season with an overall record of 21-21 and a third-place finish in the tournament.
Reaching the Final Four of the Tournament after ousting McHenry County College in three games earlier last week, the Chiefs fell behind Bryant & Stratton early on and could never recover. The Bobcats (35-9) scored twice in the bottom of the first and two more times in the third to grab control early on. Waubonsee managed six hits overall with Jori Peters and Janeen O'Reilly each collecting two hits apiece. The Chiefs avoided the shutout by scoring a run in the top of the seventh as O'Reilly scored on a two-out single up the middle by Hailey Ruhl.
Facing elimination in their second game of the day on Saturday, the Chiefs' Taylor Warren was outstanding in the circle as she kept the Kankakee bats in check to end the Cavaliers' (34-8) stellar season. Waubonsee scored twice in the top of the fourth as Kayla Tranter smacked a double to left field to score Taylor Wyeth and O'Reilly, who had reached base on a two-out error. After a one-out triple in the bottom of the sixth inning, Warren surrendered a lone run on a two-out single to make it 2-1. The Cavaliers threatened in the bottom of the seventh as Mikayla Smith doubled with one out. But Warren got a strikeout and a groundout to O'Reilly at shortstop to end the game. Warren finished with five strikeouts and no walks, while giving up just four hits overall. The Chiefs' defense was outstanding behind her as well cleanly fielding seven groundouts and nine fly outs. Wyeth led Waubonsee's offense by going 2 for 3 with a run scored and a stolen base.
The Chiefs' season then came to an end on Sunday as Highland (34-17) pulled out a one-run victory. With two outs and none on base in the bottom of the first inning, the Cougars scored a run courtesy of a hit batter, a single and a clutch double off of right-handed hurler Warren. Waubonsee then tied the game in the top of the third as they loaded the bases on three straight singles by Breanna O'Malley-Molk, Wyeth and Jesika Lowe. O'Reilly then grounded into a fielder's choice to drive in O'Malley-Molk. Tranter then lined out to Highland first baseman Tia Clark to prevent Waubonsee from taking the lead. The Cougars responded with a one-out double and a single to retake the lead 2-1. Warren then kept Highland under wraps the rest of the way, retiring 11 of the last 12 batters she faced. However, Waubonsee was unable to score despite getting a runner on base in each of the last three times at bat. Warren finished with five strikeouts, no walks and six hits allowed over six innings of work. Warren and O'Reilly were both selected to the All-Tournament team.