Mahomet-Seymour softball eyes back-to-back Regional titles

By Fred Kroner

Maddy Logsdon drove in a career-high eight runs on Wednesday (May 24) as the Mahomet-Seymour softball team thumped Danville in the semifinal game of the M-S Class 3A regional tournament.

Logsdon swatted four hits, including a double.

“She was on fire,” M-S head coach James Heinold said. “She made good contact.”

The Bulldogs led, 2-0, after one inning, 5-1 after two innings and 11-1 after three innings.

“I loved seeing the girls take control of the game early on,” Heinold said. “That took a lot of pressure off our players and the pitcher.”

Logsdon got M-S on the board quickly, with a two-run first-inning single. Her second-inning single drove in one run. In the third inning, she delivered a bases-loaded double that cleared the bases. Her last two RBI came on a fifth-inning single.

M-S’ final regular-season game was a 6-5 win over Danville nine days earlier.

Heinold made sure his players didn’t overlook the repeat opponent.

“I told them, ‘Today is it. This is what we’ve been working for. That is your focus,’” Heinold said. “Win tonight, and then we can talk about tomorrow.”

Madelyn Cortez socked a double and a triple in the rematch. She collected two RBI.

“She hit well,” Heinold said. “She rocketed one in the last inning with the bases loaded that five feet to the left or to the right might have cleared the bases.

“She made some outstanding defensive plays (at shortstop), too.”

Cortez scored four runs and Madisyn White crossed home plate three times. Logsdon and Kayla McKinney each tallied two runs.

Other Bulldogs with hits were McKinney, Kenadi Granadino, Rio Casillas, Sydney Ward and Ava Henderson.

In addition to bagging 11 hits, M-S drew six walks and did not strikeout.

Henderson pitched the first five innings. She yielded seven hits and three earned runs. She walked two batters and struck out two hitters.

“For not having any varsity innings coming into the season, Ava has made huge improvements,” Heinold said. “She is confident, hitting her spots and doesn’t let mistakes get her down.”

Katherine Severns worked the last two innings. She allowed two hits and no walks.

Third-seeded M-S (12-18) returns to action on Saturday at 11 a.m. in the regional championship game on the Bulldogs’ field against second-seeded Rantoul, which edged seventh-seeded Urbana, 2-1, in the Tuesday (May 23) semifinal game. Danville was the No. 6 seed.

M-S and Rantoul were scheduled to play in the regular season, but the game was rained out and was not rescheduled.

The Bulldogs are trying to win back-to-back regional titles in softball for the second time in school history.