NORMAL – Normal Community West High School’s second seeded Softball team’s winning ways continued in their Class 3A regional final against East Peoria Friday as the Wildcats blanked the Raiders, 1-0 May 26 at Maxwell Park. The win sent Head Coach April Schermann’s team forward to a sectional semifinal to take on host school Metamora Tuesday. The other Tuesday semifinal would be between Washington Community High School and Geneseo High School.

Back-to-back doubles were what it took for Normal West (28-9) to get their lone run across the plate. With no score in the bottom of the 3rd inning, game action for Normal West didn’t start well, though, as leadoff batter Tamlyn Cramer and designated player Eden Pressburger went down in order to start the Wildcats’ half of the inning. Shortstop Emily Kobel followed with a double and was followed by catcher Emily McCandless who smacked a double into the outfield allowing Kobel to cross home plate for the Wildcats’ lone run.

Wildcats pitcher Rileigh Morlock got credit for the win upping her record on the season to 17-3. East Peoria pitcher

“Emily Kobel has great speed on the bases, so we knew from a base hit on, we knew she was going to score,” Schermann explained. “We just needed Emily McCandless to come up with that timely hit and that’s exactly what she did.”

“I’ve gotten hits that have allowed Emily to score a couple times this year,” McCandless said, adding, “I know that wherever I’m going to hit it, she’s automatically going to score. I really have a lot of confidence in her because of that.”

When Normal West gets to Metamora, Schermann said, the Wildcats will be the visiting team, but explained, “We bring motivational signs for our dugout so that whatever dugout we are in our dugout. We make that field our field.” Schermann explained the signs are “general reminders” for Normal West players “that help us play our best.”

Schermann said her team doesn’t concentrate on “who we play but how we play.”

Morelock explained she relies on team catcher Sophia Revallo to be able to gauge where batters stand in the batter’s box. Because of that, Menzione said, “I trust her very much to call pitches that we can either strike them out looking or swinging. But if we can’t that done, I have a bunch of confidence in this team because I know what they can field, I know what they can do.”

“It was a great game and both pitchers pitched phoenominally,” East Peoria Head Coach Denee Menzione said afterward. “We gave up two hits and made three. Normal West is a great coached team. It’s always fun playing them.”