Softball: Five MSL teams plus St. Viator, Leyden, ready to go in sectionals

Five high school softball teams from the Mid-Suburban League are still involved in the Class 4A softball state playoffs - three from the West Division (Barrington, Conant and Palatine) and two from East (Hersey and Elk Grove).

St. Viator (in 3A) and Leyden (in 4A) also have postseason games coming up.

Here is a look at where each plays either Tuesday or Wednesday:

New Trier sectional: The games are being play at Duke Childs Field in Winnetka (1321 Willow Rd).

On Tuesday, No. 4-seeded Hersey (24-7), coming off its second straight regional crown after a 24-year drought, takes on top-seeded Libertyville (28-5), coached by former Stevenson standout pitcher Elissa Wisniewski.

First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.

Hersey coach Molly Freeman, a former Fremd standout, has guided the Huskies to their first 20-win season in her 10 years directing the program and first division title since 1995.

The second semifinal (4:30 p.m.) on Wednesday features No. 3 Palatine (24-7) vs. No. 2 Warren (26-7).

Nicole Pauly, who starred as Palatine, Northwestern and Akron in the Professional Softball League, is in her third season directing her alma mater which was second in the very competitive MSL West.

The championship is slated for Saturday at 11 a.m.

Huntley sectional: Barrington hall of fame coach Perry Peterson, sitting on 775 career wins, has the Fillies (33-3) playing in a 16th straight sectional and 21st overall.

The Mid-Suburban League champs will face Belvidere North (19-8) at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.

The Fillies are the top seed from the Hampshire and Prairie Ridge combined regionals while Belvidere North is No. 3 from the Rockford Guilford and DeKalb regionals.

On Tuesday, it will be No. 1 Huntley (from DeKalb and Guilford regionals) vs. No. 7 McHenry (Hampshire and Prairie Ridge regionals).

St. Charles East sectional: Two MSL hall of fame coaches are in this one.

On Tuesday, Ken Gram's No. 4 seeded Grenadiers (26-9) take on No. 1 St. Charles East (29-7) at 4:30 p.m.

Grams' clubs have won three straight regionals. They have 20 overall since he took over in 1982; Grams has become the second-winningest coach in IHSA softball history with 908 wins.

Coach CathyAnn Smith's Conant Cougars (22-6), seeded No. 2, take on No. 5 St. Charles North (19-9) at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The Cougars are making a fourth straight appearance in the sectionals and seventh overall under Smith.

Niles North sectional: Leyden coach Kurt Schuett has guided the Eagles to their fourth sectional appearance under his tenure. The No. 7-seeded Eagles, who upset No. 2 Whitney Young on Saturday, will meet No. 6 Lane Tech at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.

The Eagles are in their fourth sectional under Schuett and the eighth in program history.

Tuesday's game matches top-seeded Oak Park (No. 1 in Class 4A ICA state poll) and No. 4 Evanston, with the championship slated for Saturday at 11 a.m.

Antioch sectional: Coach John Scotillo's Lions, the No. 4 seed, face off again the top-seeded Sequoits and tourney host Antioch at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Viator's only other sectional appearance was in the 2010 Class 3A state tourney.

The Wednesday semifinal matches No. 2 Grayslake Central and No. 6 Richmond Burton at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

The championship is set for Saturday at 11 a.m.