Another big moment for Leneau, Warren
Having delivered with her softball bat in a big moment before, a cool-calm-and-collected Amber Leneau walked to the plate with the bases loaded and two out in the bottom of the ninth.
Well, maybe the Warren senior wasn't feeling all cool, calm and collected.
What she did was, unmistakably, cool for the Blue Devils. Leneau delivered a walk-off single off Wauconda ace Kayla Wedl, giving Warren a 1-0, extra-inning win in the North Suburban Conference championship game Thursday.
"It was pretty stressful," Leneau said with a laugh. "But it was fun."
It might have been as fun for Leneau as her home run - her only one of the season - in last year's Class 4A state championship game in East Peoria.
"She comes through (in big moments)," Blue Devils coach Jenna Anderson said. "It doesn't seem to faze her."
In what became a battle of mitt-popping pitchers, both teams had trouble delivering any hits. Wauconda (23-11) managed just 2 base hits - a second-inning single by Mallory Carver and seventh-inning infield single by Brooke Sefcik - against Hannah Nommensen. The Blue Devils' sophomore right-hander struck out 14, walked two and hit a batter.
Warren (28-2) mustered only 5 hits off UIC-commit Wedl, whose 19 strikeouts tied her career high, which she established last week.
"Today was one of those days where we all wanted it more than anything," said Wedl, the junior who's been the Bulldogs' ace the last three years. "We all were going crazy at school wanting to get out and get out here. We did well for those nine innings. That's the best I've ever seen us play on the field."
Wauconda committed 3 errors, including one in the ninth and not counting a dropped-third strike in the same inning. But Bulldogs coach Tim Rennels wasn't lamenting his team's lack of defensive execution.
"This is not a stumbling block for us," said Rennels, whose team lost a 5-1 decision to Warren last month. "It was an opportunity, and these guys bought right into it. That's what this was about - an opportunity for excellence."
Same went for Warren, which begins defense of its state championship next week.
"It's good to see (Wedl) right before the postseason," Anderson said.
Wedl struck out the side in the second, fourth and fifth innings, and fanned 11 different Blue Devils. The lefty-hitting Leneau doubled to deep left field leading off the Warren eighth and was bunted to third by Emily Hudgins, but Wedl got back-to-back strikeouts to end the threat.
After striking out junior Sabrina Trevino (15 homers) for the third time to start the Warren ninth, Wedl allowed Rachele Belletini's second infield single of the game. Crystal Pennell lined out to right fielder Sarah Ricci, whose throw to first base nearly doubled off Belletini. An error and passed ball on a called-third strike loaded the bases.
Leneau, batting in the No. 9 spot, lined out in her first at-bat and took a called-third strike in her next plate appearance.
"After I struck out, I said I'm doing this for my team," Leneau said. "It's not about me getting a hit or not. Just as long as I get that run across for my team, that's all that matters."
Leneau grounded a sharply hit ball into center field, scoring Belletini.
"She was seeing (Wedl) well all game," Anderson said. "She was on her (pitches). Not many of us were."
Nommensen was equally impressive. Wauconda got only one baserunner in scoring position. Willow Schanz (2 walks) was stranded at third in the sixth after Nommensen got the dangerous Wedl to pop out.
"The key for me was not to worry so much," said Nommensen, who also beat Wauconda last month. "If they get runs, we're going to get runs. We always come back with our hitting. I just tried to be stress-free and relaxed out there."
Just like Leneau.