It was bound to happen this season and it finally did. Yesterday, St. Joseph-Ogden shortstop Bailey Dowling became Illinois' most prolific softball home run hitter in IHSA history.
After tying the record of 60 set by Benet Academy's Stephanie Abello in 2015 on Thursday, Dowling hit a pair of dingers to raise the career home run bar to 62.
In her first trip to the plate against visiting Charleston, the Alabama commit crushed the ball over the right field fence. The second shot, her 19th home run of the season, soared over the left field fence pushing the all-time record to 62 by the future Olympic junior national player.
She is now one home run shy from being the first Illinois prep softball player to hit 20 home runs in three consecutive seasons. She pummeled 22 her freshman season at SJO and 21 last spring as a sophomore. Heading into the postseason semifinal against Monticello later today, chances are she will add at least one or more to the total she now commands.
With another season left in her prep career, Dowling could very well hold the career record for ... well, like former Spartan head coach Randy Wolken's career 1,043 win total, ... forever.
Despite her historic, record-making performance, the Spartans (20-9) fell 15-4 to the Trojans in their last regular season contest on the 2019 season.
Hannah Dukeman, also a junior, contributed two RBI in the non-conference loss.
After tying the record of 60 set by Benet Academy's Stephanie Abello in 2015 on Thursday, Dowling hit a pair of dingers to raise the career home run bar to 62.
In her first trip to the plate against visiting Charleston, the Alabama commit crushed the ball over the right field fence. The second shot, her 19th home run of the season, soared over the left field fence pushing the all-time record to 62 by the future Olympic junior national player.
She is now one home run shy from being the first Illinois prep softball player to hit 20 home runs in three consecutive seasons. She pummeled 22 her freshman season at SJO and 21 last spring as a sophomore. Heading into the postseason semifinal against Monticello later today, chances are she will add at least one or more to the total she now commands.
With another season left in her prep career, Dowling could very well hold the career record for ... well, like former Spartan head coach Randy Wolken's career 1,043 win total, ... forever.
Despite her historic, record-making performance, the Spartans (20-9) fell 15-4 to the Trojans in their last regular season contest on the 2019 season.
Hannah Dukeman, also a junior, contributed two RBI in the non-conference loss.
