Barrington's bats reign in regional semifinal

Not even the rain could slow down the Barrington softball bats on Tuesday.

In a game that took more than three hours due to a pair of rain delays (one for nearly an hour), the Fillies connected for 16 hits en route to a 10-0 six-inning victory over Cary-Grove in the semifinals of their own Class 4A regional.

The Mid-Suburban League West runners-up (28-6), who received a 2-hitter from senior ace Keenan Dolezal (27-6), advanced to the title game on Friday at 3:30 p.m. to face Crystal Lake Central.

The Tigers defeated Crystal Lake South 8-1 in Tuesday's second semifinal under the lights at the Fields of Dreams.

Lighting up the field with base hits was Fillies junior catcher Rachel Macdonald, who went 4-for-4 with a double and 2 RBI.

Macdonald now has 13 doubles, two behind team leader Kelly Katis who connected for three more on Tuesday.

The Fillies second baseman lined out sharply to second in her first at bat, then ripped three straight doubles and scored a run after every one.

"I'm just up there trying to hit the ball hard," said Katis, who now has 15 doubles this spring, six shy of the single season record set in 1998 by catcher Christine Lindberg.

"I started out the season strong but then hit a midseason slump and got some help my from coaches (Jon Sander and Jenna Mychko). I've been doing better. I'm just trying to get base hits, not doubles. I'm trying to do anything that will help the help the team."

Also helping out with their bats were Rachel Krzysko (3-for-4, home run, 2 RBI), Carly Kordich (1-for-4, RBI), Jenna Fingerman (2-for-4, RBI), Julia Kozar (1-for-2, walk) and Dolezal, who walloped a double off the left center field fence to ignite the Fillies' 4-run fifth inning.

Katis' double to left field brought home Dolezal's courtesy runner Catherine McMahon to make it 6-0.

Macdonald followed with an RBI double to left to make it 7-0 before Krzysko lined a 2-run homer over the center field fence.

Pinch hitter Jamie Brown then ended the game in the bottom of the sixth with a blast to the right center gap that drove in Haley Luczak, who had walked.

"Barrington did a great job," said Cary-Grove coach Tammy Olson. "They executed what they needed to do. They put the ball in play.

"We gave up too many runs. They put 16 hits on the board so obviously they did a good job hitting.

"We've got a nice bunch of girls. They played hard all season."

The Trojans (10-21) got their first hit off Dolezal when senior Rachel Langner singled to right with two outs in the top of the fifth. Their other hit was a leadoff bunt single in the sixth by sophomore Kristi Isola. Junior Molly MacDuff put down a perfect sacrifice bunt to get Isola to second.

Isola took third on a wild pitch before Dolezal recorded her seventh strike out for the final out.

"Keenan is an amazing young lady," said Barrington coach Perry Peterson about the Loyola recruit who owns an 86-19 career record. "She's got great talent, a great approach and is really a leader for us on the field."

Dolezal allowed just one runner past second base and retired the side in order three times.

Peterson liked his team's offense on Tuesday.

"We have to hit the ball consistently in the playoffs," he said. "We need to do that to take the pressure off the pitcher and the defense, and we did it well this game. So kudos to all 18 of our young ladies."

And they did it in between rain delays.

"I've never experienced rain delays like this before," Katis said. "I'm really proud of my team that it didn't lose it mentally.

"Right after we came back on the field (after the second delay), we got the final out of the inning in one batter and then we scored 4 runs in our next at-bat. Coach P pushed us and told us we couldn't have a mental lapse. He told us how good team is always ready to go, and that really motivated us."

Lake Forest 15, Wheeling 5 (5 inn.): No. 17-seeded Lake Forest (4-20) advanced to today's semifinal of the Palatine regional to face top-seeded Warren.

The 16th-seeded Wildcats (4-21) were led on offense by Nikki Mikosz, who went 2-for-3 with a home run and triple. Other offensive leaders for the Wildcats were Christina Ambrose (1-for-3, RBI) and Lauren Hart (1-for-2, RBI). Freshman pitcher Dakota Medrano struck out three for the Wildcats.