Larkin, Schock hold off Hoffman Estates

They may not have winning records and they may have come into the postseason with long losing streaks, but one city of Elgin high school will win a regional softball championship Friday.

Larkin used a stellar relief performance in the circle from junior Kiernan Schock Thursday to stifle a Hoffman Estates comeback attempt and the Royals went on to beat the Hawks 5-2 in the Class 4A Streamwood regional semifinals.

The win pits the second-seeded Royals (10-23) against top seed and crosstown rival Elgin (11-25) at 4:30 p.m. today for the regional title and a trip to next week's Huntley sectional. The game day was changed due to Elgin and Larkin's graduation ceremonies on Saturday.

The two last met for a regional title in 2004, which was also Larkin's last regional championship. Elgin hasn't won a regional title in softball since 1995. The Royals and Maroons split their two games this season with Elgin winning 7-0 on April 13 and Larkin taking a 6-3 game on May 6.

To make things more interesting Friday, first-year Elgin coach Chad Dahlman is a Larkin graduate and coached for Royals' coach Larry Hight the past few years. Elgin assistant coach Doug Holtz also coached at Larkin and his daughter, Kiley, now an all-Ohio Valley Conference player at Eastern Illinois University, is one of the best to ever play softball at Larkin.

"One good thing about playing back-to-back is that we've got some momentum and I just told the girls, 'let's carry it into (Friday),' " said Larkin coach Larry Hight. "We'll be ready to go and so will Elgin."

Larkin led Thursday's game 3-0 going into the top of the sixth inning when Hoffman's Elaine Lord sparked a rally with a leadoff triple. With one out, Emily Fett doubled to drive home Lord and after an Amanda Harris single, Linden Fick's basehit brought home Fett to make it 3-2.

Hight then pulled senior Megan Johnson (4-7) from the circle and brought Schock in to face Hoffman's No. 4 hitter, Kelsey Pellus, who Schock promptly struck out for the second out. Schock then got Alex Tuminaro to pop out to Johnson at first and leave the tying run stranded at third.

"My defense was behind me and we knew how to get out of it," said Schock. "I just wanted to make sure I could help my team out and I tried to do my best. I knew I could do it and I just stayed positive all the time."

Hoffman Estates coach Lindsey Hamma credited Hight with making the change when he did.

"You gotta hand it to them," Hamma said. "It was the right time for a change and it threw our hitters off. We were forced to chase a little."

Hight gave all the credit to Schock.

"I can't say enough about Kiernan coming in and putting out the fire," said Hight. "That's what a good relief pitcher does. Megan did a great job but she was out of gas. Kiernan had a full tank and she came in and got that good hitter (Pellus) out. That was huge."

Larkin added some insurance in the bottom of the sixth. Corinne Wimmer singled and stole second then scored on Lexi Smithberg's single. Smithberg moved up on an infield error and then scored on Johnson's single to left field to make it a 5-2 game. Schock overcame an infield error on the first batter in the top of the seventh then retired the Hawks (3-24) in order to preserve the win.

"We fought hard to get back in it but then Larkin didn't let us keep the momentum, they took it right back," Hamma said. "They made the plays they needed to. They were the better team today. My girls have come a long way from game one to now and I'm proud of them."

Larkin's defense was stellar from the first batter of the game on. Senior Ashley Frey made a diving catch in center field of Fett's sinking liner to open the game and Nikki Banks made a spectacular diving grab of a Pellus liner to end the third.

"That was some defense," said Hight, whose team snapped a 7-game losing streak. "We haven't dove for a ball all year. That was nice to see."

Larkin built its 3-0 lead by scoring twice in the second off Hoffman starter Emily Allan. Johnson walked, Frey blooped a single into left and both scored on Anna Esterino's double. The Royals added a run in the third off reliever Elaine Lord when Schock's single drove in Frey, who had reached on an error. Johnson and Frey each had 2 hits for the Royals.

And now the City Showdown is on.