Lily Maxwell Powers Edwardsville Past OFallon In Girls Softball Regional Final

Behind big swings from Lily Maxwell and Maksine Straub, Edwardsville pulled away late to beat O'Fallon 13-3 for 4A regional title. Fox fans nine for Tigers.

Colin Feeney, Contributing Sports Writer

May 23, 2026 11:28 AM

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O'FALLON — Lily Maxwell homered, drove in four runs, and collected two hits, while Maksine Straub also homered, and Marley Fox struck out nine as Edwardsville defeated O'Fallon 13-3 on Friday afternoon, May 22, 2026, to win the IHSA Class 4A softball regional championship at the Milburn softball complex.

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With the win, Edwardsville advanced to the Bradley-Bourbonnais sectional and will play Belleville East, which defeated Belleville West 3-2 to win its regional, on Tuesday at Belleville West. The winner advances to the round of 16.

Edwardsville, the home team, scored first in the bottom of the second inning. Maxwell singled with one out, stole second, and scored on Bryar Ellinger’s RBI single to left, with Ellinger taking second on the throw home for a 1-0 lead.

O'Fallon tied the game in the top of the third. Avery Phillips drew a leadoff walk, moved to third on back-to-back groundouts, and scored on a passed ball to make it 1-1.

The Tigers answered in the bottom half. Maggie Bray walked to open the inning, and Maxwell hit a home run over the center-field fence to put Edwardsville ahead 3-1. Fox later doubled, courtesy runner Camilla Zurliene moved to third on a groundout, and after a walk to Amelia Wilfong, scored on a wild pitch to extend the lead to 4-1.

Edwardsville added two more runs in the fifth. With one out, Straub and Bray hit consecutive singles, and both advanced on a passed ball. Maxwell then singled home courtesy runner Remi Werden and Bray to make it 6-1.

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O'Fallon cut into the deficit in the sixth. Phillips doubled to left and scored on Sophie Wilhelm’s RBI single to make it 6-2. Haylee Williams then sacrificed Wilhelm to second, and after a groundout moved her to third, Wilhelm scored on a passed ball to trim the lead to 6-3.

The Tigers broke the game open in the bottom of the sixth. Wilfong walked to start the inning, Brooke Burris and Savanna Lewis followed with singles to load the bases, and Lily Stone singled home two runs to push the lead to 8-3. Stone then stole second, and Straub hit a 1-0 pitch over the right-field fence for a three-run home run to make it 11-3. Later in the inning, Fox walked, Zurliene entered as a courtesy runner, Ellinger singled, and both scored on Wilfong’s double to center as Edwardsville reached the 10-run margin.

Maxwell led Edwardsville with two hits, including a home run, and four RBIs. Straub had two hits, including a home run, and drove in three runs. Stone had two hits and two RBIs, Ellinger had two hits and one RBI, and Wilfong had a hit and two RBIs. Lewis, Burris, and Bray each added a hit.

Fox went the distance for the win, allowing three earned runs on six hits, walking one, and striking out nine.

For O'Fallon, Bella Schmitt had two hits. Wilhelm had a hit and the Panthers’ only RBI, while Adalynn Kilzing, Phillips, and Hadley Schulte also had hits.

Kennedy Clark took the loss, pitching 3.2 innings and allowing eight earned runs on eight hits while walking two and striking out one. Kai'a Moe worked 0.2 innings, allowing two earned runs on two hits with one walk and one strikeout. Elisyn Townson pitched 1.1 innings, giving up three unearned runs on two hits, walking one, and striking out one.

O'Fallon finished its season 19-13. Edwardsville improved to 27-5 and will face Belleville East in the sectional semifinal Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. at Belleville West’s ballpark. The winner advances to the sectional final against either Belleville West or East Moline United on May 30 at 11 a.m.

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