Oakwood softball posts first Regional win in school history

By Fred Kroner

After posting the school’s first-ever win in a Class 2A IESA regional tournament game on Wednesday (Sept. 6), with a 7-6 victory over Watseka, fifth-seeded Oakwood Grade School dropped a 3-1 semifinal-round loss to top-seeded St. Joseph.

Against fourth-seeded Watseka, Oakwood’s Ainsley Lyons scored the winning run in the seventh inning. Lyons stole three bases.

Lainee Smith finished with three hits and three runs scored. Avery Trimmel ended with two hits and two runs scored.

Ashtyn Dailey struck out nine batters. She also stole two bases.

Against top-seeded St. Joseph, Dailey struck out seven batters and walked no one. She had two hits. Chloe Vinson and Smith had the team’s other hits.

Vinson knocked in Dailey with the lone Oakwood run.

Oakwood ended the regular season on Tuesday (Sept. 5) with a 15-5 triumph at Georgetown-Ridge Farm.

Dailey registered 12 strikeouts.

Trimmel scored five runs and Smith crossed home plate four times. Dailey tallied three runs. Smith clubbed three hits. Trimmel produced two hits as did Hadley Schrader.

Oakwood finished the season with a 6-7 overall record.

Other late-season losses were to Westville, 11-0, when Trimmel was the team’s lone base-runner, after drawing a walk. Dailey recorded three strikeouts.

Against Prairieview Ogden, Oakwood suffered an 11-7 loss. Madelyn Serd cracked two hits. Lyons swiped two bases. Seven different players scored runs. Dailey posted three strikeouts.