The defending state champs in Class 1A and 2A softball are still alive in the postseason and are both in Peoria for the 2022 state finals. Class 1A champs, Illini Bluffs, beat the Marissa/Coulterville co-op 12-4 in Monday’s Super-Sectional. IB will now play Newark in the Final Four at the Louisville Slugger Complex in Peoria in the first semifinal at 10:00 on Friday morning. That will be followed by the second semifinal at noon between perennial power Casey-Westfield and Forreston. Forreston scored three runs in the bottom of the 7th to beat West Central 6-5 in the Super-Sectional.
In Class 2A softball, defending champ Rockridge will try to keep its long winning streak intact and bring home another state title. The Rockets are (33-0) and have won 63 straight games through the past two seasons. That streak is the second-longest in IHSA, behind only Casey-Westfield’s streak of 69 in a row in the 1997-1998 seasons. Rockridge will play the first semifinal on Friday at 3:00 against Pontiac. The first semifinal pits Tolono (Unity) vs. Freeburg.
The Class 1A and 2A baseball state finals are taking place at the home of the Minor League Peoria Chiefs at Dozier Park.
Here’s the schedule for all four tournaments….
| Class 1A Softball State Final Tournament |
| Site: Peoria (Louisville Slugger Sports Complex) |
| Fri., Jun. 3 |
| 10:00: (1) Newark (31-3-1) vs. (1) Illini Bluffs (18-2) |
| 12:30: (1) Casey-Westfield (37-1) vs. (1) Forreston (22-4) |
| Sat., Jun. 4 |
| 9:00: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 |
| 11:30: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2 |
| Class 2A Softball State Final Tournament |
| Site: Peoria (Louisville Slugger Sports Complex) |
| Fri., Jun. 3 |
| 3:00 (1) Rockridge (33-0) vs (1) Pontiac (27-7-1) |
| 5:30 (2) Tolono (Unity) (26-8) vs (1) Freeburg (32-1) |
| Sat., Jun. 4 |
| 1:00: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 |
| 3:30: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2 |
| Class 1A Baseball State Final Tournament |
| Site: Peoria (Dozer Park) |
| Fri., Jun. 3 |
| 10:00: (2) LeRoy (24-9) vs. (1) Ottawa (Marquette) (31-3) |
| 12:00: (1) North Clay/Clay City (31-6) vs. (1) Brown County (27-4) |
| Sat., Jun. 4 |
| 9:00: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 |
| 11:30: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2 |
| Class 2A Baseball State Final Tournament |
| Site: Peoria (Dozer Park) |
| Fri., Jun. 3 |
| 3:00: (1) Richmond-Burton (31-5) vs. (1) Maroa-Forsyth (32-1) |
| 5:00: (1) Joliet (Catholic Academy) (21-11) vs. (2) Columbia (26-7-1) |
| Sat., Jun. 4 |
| 3:00: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 |
| 5:30: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2 |
