Grace Baalman tosses another gem to lead Warriors to softball championship game

EAST PEORIA – Hardin-Calhoun's Grace Baalman threw another gem Friday morning in the IHSA Class 1A Softball Championship semifinals at EastSide Centre..

Baalman, who has not allowed a run in her last 94 innings pitched, threw a third straight no-hitter – the only runner reaching base on a Emma Baalman error in the seventh – as the Warriors defeated Wayne City 1-0 to reach Saturday afternoon's final. Calhoun will take on Somonauk, 4-2 winners over Sterling Newman Central Catholic in the other semifinal game, at 12:30 p.m. Saturday for the Class 1A championship.

Baalman's last hit given up came in the Warriors' Brown County Sectional semifinal win over Camp Point Central May 26. Since then, she no-hit Griggsville-Perry in the sectional final and struck out all but one of the 22 batters she faced in the Springfield Supersectional win over Toledo Cumberland Tuesday.

Sara Brodbeck singled in the only Warrior run in the top of the first, driving in Madison Lehr with what turned out to be the game-winner; she was 1-for-2 with a RBI. Lehr was 1-for-3 with a run scored and Emma Baalman was 2-for-3 for the Warriors.

Grace Baalman struck out 14 for Calhoun; her Wayne City counterpart, Claire Miller, also fanned 14.

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