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Sycamore ends Hampshire's season

A span of 6 batters was all it took for Sycamore to end Hampshire's softball season Thursday.

Those 6 batters reached base consecutively in the second inning, when the Spartans scored 4 runs. They held on for a 4-1 victory in the semifinals of the Class 3A Genoa-Kingston regional.

Haley Widmayer struck out the first 2 batters of the inning before 6 straight Spartans reached safely. Taylor Aasen's double capped the inning after 5 straight singles.

That was more than enough support for Sycamore starter Rachel Reifsteck, who held Hampshire to 1 run on 6 hits while striking out 3.

Sycamore will face Burlington Central in the title game, scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday.

The Whip-Purs scored their only run in the top of the second. Peyton DeChant led off with a double and scored on Joslyn Nelson's single.

"We weren't able to string hits together when we got people on base with one or less outs, " said Hampshire coach Stacey Stepek. "I told them it's whatever team gets hot at the right time and, unfortunately, it wasn't our year."

Aly Snider had 2 hits for Hampshire.

The Whip-Purs had a chance to get back in it in the fifth when Melissa Esparza led off with a double. With 2 outs, Snider lined a single to left, but the ball was hit too hard to allow Esparza to score from second. Reifsteck then retired the final 7 Hampshire hitters.

The inexperienced Whip-Purs, with only one senior on the roster - Widmayer - finished the season 14-18.

"I'm really proud of what they've done," said Stepek, who is moving to Arizona and coached her final game for the Whip-Purs. "We were right around .500 with a young team and a tough schedule."

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