Lisle graduates to East Peoria

Bekka Houda won’t be in Lisle for graduation Friday, and she couldn’t be happier.

Houda took a no-hitter into the sixth inning of Tuesday’s Class 2A Seneca supersectional, and the Lions advanced to the state softball tournament for the first time since 2007 by beating Momence 6-0.

Houda and Lisle softball’s other seniors will hold their own ceremony at a hotel Friday morning, then take on Morrison in a 4:30 p.m. state semifinal at East Peoria’s EastSide Centre.

“We’ve been here three years in a row, and it hasn’t come out our way before,” Houda said. “We were going to make sure there was a different result this time.”

Houda is among a group of Lisle girls playing in their third supersectional but who were still seeking their first state trip.

They weren’t to be denied this time.

“It’s just nice to finally get over the hump,” Lisle coach Jen Pomatto said. “These girls are so special.”

Momence (24-8) upset a 32-1 Beecher team considered by some the 2A favorite in the sectional semifinals and beat Seneca 10-0 on Monday.

Houda and Lisle beat Momence 2-0 in five innings at its Lisle Invite May 13. But the Lions knew that last year they did the same to Morrison, then watched Morrison flip the script on them in supersectionals.

“We took Morrison for granted last year,” said Lisle junior Mackenzie Buchelt, a three-year starter. “We knew this year that we can’t take any team for granted because we don’t want to be sent home early.”

Early on Tuesday Lisle (28-4) looked like a team primed to break through.

Freshman Summer Stitt lined a single on the game’s first pitch, and Stephanie Petkovsek slapped an infield single. Both moved up on a sacrifice, and Buchelt jumped on the first pitch from Momence’s Bailey Boiken for a 2-run single.

Grace Riley singled in Petkovsek in the third to make it 3-0, and in the fifth Buchelt reached on an error, Riley doubled and both scored on Maggie Corrigan’s single into short left field.

“This team has had my back all year,” Houda said. “They really picked me up today.”

Not that Houda required much support.

She walked Jessica Spain to lead off the Momence first inning, then retired the next 13 batters. Danielle Anthony singled back through the box on an 0-2 pitch leading off the sixth to break up Houda’s no-hitter.

Houda didn’t flinch, setting down the last six batters.

“At this point of the season, I’m not worried about striking people out or the individual stuff,” Houda said. “I just want to get the outs and win the game.”

Houda (21-2) struck out five, recording her 11th shutout of the season. Pomatto isn’t tired of lavishing praise on her third-year ace.

“I can’t say enough about her,” Pomatto said. “She really has worked on her mental game, not getting down on herself and digging deep and firing it in there when she has to.”

Lisle gets another crack at Morrison Friday and also a third shot at the school’s first win at the state softball tournament after one-and-dones in 1994 and 2007.

“I’m not satisfied with going down,” Houda said. “I want to do well there.”