EDWARDSVILLE - Belleville West scored three runs in the bottom of the third inning, and it was enough to send the Maroons to a 4-2 win over Alton in the second semifinal of the IHSA Class 4A softball regional Tuesday evening at the Edwardsville Sports Complex.
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The win allows the Maroons to advance to Friday afternoon's final against Edwardsville, a 12-0 winner over Granite City in the first semifinal, with the winner going on to the sectional at Pekin next week.
The Redbirds opened the scoring with a single run in the top of the third, but West countered with three runs in the bottom of the frame, with both teams trading single runs in the sixth to produce the 4-2 win for the Maroons.
Laci Fischer, Sophia Hanneken, Alaina Laslie, Lauren O'Neill, and Grace Presley all had hits for Alton. while Presley went all the way inside the circle, allowing four runs on eight hits, walking one and striking out seven.
The Redbirds end their season 10-14, while West is now 12-22, and advances to play the host Tigers in the final on Friday at 4:30 p.m. The winner goes on to the Pekin sectional and will play the Belleville East winner, either the Lancers or the winner of Quincy-Collinsville, in the semifinal, set for Belleville West's park next Tuesday, May 28, at 4:30 p.m.