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newlenoxpatriot.com SPORTS
the New Lenox Patriot | June 7, 2018 | 45
fastbreak
Softball
Providence wins second sectional in program history
22nd Century Media File Photo
1st-and-3
West volleyball’s
road to greatness
1. Regionals (above)
The Warriors started
their postseason
with a little scare,
squeaking past
Joliet Catholic 25-22,
24-26, 25-17 in the
regional semifinals.
They followed it up
with a straight-set
win over Plainfield
North to win their first
regional title.
2. Sectionals
After losing twice to
Plainfield East in the
regular season, West
finally beat them
28-30, 29-27, 26-24
when it mattered
most, surviving four
match points in the
process. Warriors
went on handily beat
O’Fallon for the sectional
title.
3. State
All three sets being
decided by two points
was the case again
in the state quarterfinals
against Neuqua
Valley, but this time in
a loss to end West’s
postseason run.
RANDY WHALEN
Freelance Reporter
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“The whole season we fought. We were a smaller team so
we had to work harder than everyone else, for sure.”
David Flores – Lincoln-Way West setter, the Warriors’ season ended in the
state quarterfinals over eventual state runner-up Neuqua Valley
Celtics freshman Nicole Mucha had a key RBI single
Saturday, June 2, in a sectional championship win.
It’s been a magical postseason
run for the Providence
softball team.
That run continued into
this week as the Celtics
squeezed out their fourth
close postseason victory
with a 2-1 win over local rival
Joliet Catholic Academy
on Saturday, June 2 in the
title game of the Class 3A
Ottawa Sectional.
It was the third one-run win
for Providence (27-11) in its
four postseason games. The
other one was by two runs.
The sectional championship
is the second ever for the
Celtics, who also won one in
2012 and finished third in the
state in Class 3A that year.
They faced Normal U-High,
which beat host Washington,
5-4, in its sectional title
game, on Monday, June 4 at
the Illinois Wesleyan University
Super-Sectional.
“This feels awesome for
our team,” senior shortstop
Taylor Young said. “Putting
ourselves in these [close]
situations, that’s what we’re
known for. But we have
been getting timely hits.”
Those hits helped the
Celtics, who defeated Morris
4-3 on Wednesday, May 23
in the regional semifinal and
then edged Ottawa Township
2-1 on Saturday, May
26 in the regional title game,
capture anther close game.
“There hasn’t been an easy
game yet, and I’m going to
have all gray hair, but this certainly
feels great,” Providence
coach Jay Biesterfeld said.
“This was a total team win,
and I could talk about every
player doing something that
was a key [against JCA].”
Providence broke through
with one out in the top of
the fourth. Catcher Shannon
Smith (2-for-3) and fellow
junior, outfielder Lex
Leighton, hit back-to-back
infield singles. That brought
up freshman Nicole Mucha,
who mashed single to left
field to score Smith.
In the fifth, the Celtics
added an unearned run.
Sophomore Maggie Hurley
led off with a single, but
was forced out on a fielder’s
choice by senior Emily Pilon.
Alyssa Ibarra was inserted
to run for Pilon, and
the freshman promptly stole
second, with an error on the
play advancing her to third.
That brought up leadoff
Tune In
hitter, sophomore outfielder
Teagan Sopczak, whose
hard ground ball was booted
for the Angels’ second error
of the inning. Ibarra darted
home to make it 2-0.
JCA (24-10), which last
won a sectional as St. Francis
in 1988, scored in the bottom
of the sixth. Jen Krizka hit a
leadoff double and Maddy
Szymanski singled to put
runners on first and third.
Biesterfeld then replaced
starting pitcher, sophomore
Laila Summers, with Mucha.
Annie Nudera then loaded
the bases for the Angels with
a bunt single. Then Krizka
was thrown out at home
following a passed ball as
the other runners moved up
a base. Hannah Spreitzer
grounded out, but pinch runner
Tessa Green scored their
only run in a rundown after
the groundout.
Mucha retired JCA in order
Open gym
7-9 p.m. Tuesday, June 12
• Lincoln-Way West, located at 21701 Gougar Road
in New Lenox, hosts open gym every Tuesday in
its fieldhouse. Stop by to play basketball, volleyball
and other sports. The fee is $4 for Lincoln-Way
residents, and $8 for nonresidents.
Courtney Mahalik, of New Lenox, and the team played
Normal on Monday at supersectionals. 22nd century media
file photos
on a fly out, a strikeout and a
groundout in the seventh, and
the Celtics celebrated.
“Nicole came in with a
tight spot and did a great
job,” Biestererfeld said of
Mucha. “ Then got them one,
two, three in the seventh. The
kids just made plays. Taylor
Young had an unbelievable
diving catch to her left in the
fifth inning. She leaped in the
air and was horizontal. That
was huge as they ended up
stranding runners at second
and third that inning.”
Young was glad to make
the play, but said she was not
alone.
“Our pitching has been
pumping strikes,” said
Young of the Celtics, who issued
no walks against JCA.
“And our defense behind
them has been great.”
Pilon and Young added
hits for Providence, which
Index
44 – Sports Briefs
43 – Athlete of the Week
had seven hits to six for the
Angels in the game.
The Celtics opened up the
sectional on Tuesday, May
29 with a 6-4 win over Manteno.
Batting as the home
team, they scored three runs
in the second and two in the
third for a 5-0 lead. Ahead
6-2 going into the seventh,
Providence held on as the
Panthers (24-7) scored twice
in the seventh and brought
the tying run to the plate.
Leighton (2-for-4, 2 runs),
Hurley (2-for-4, 2 RBI), and
Young (2 RBI) led the Celtics
9-hit offense. Summers (4 ER,
6 H, 3 K) had no walks and
went the distance for the win.
“This is a group that has
bought into what we’ve been
preaching,” Biesterfeld said
of his teams success this season.
“They go out and play
for the kid next to them, not
themselves.”
FASTBREAK is compiled by Editor James Sanchez,
james@newlenoxpatriot.com.