Carmel, Tack showing postseason knack

If it's warm, Carmel Catholic's softball team must be hot.

And so the Corsairs are, along with their ace, for the second straight spring in mid-May.

The defending sectional champs won their sixth state tournament since last year Saturday, and just like a year ago they're winning despite being a No. 12 seed.

Rachel Tack, trying to duplicate her postseason success in 2007, scattered 4 singles in pitching Carmel past 14th-seeded Mundelein 5-0 in the teams' Class 4A regional final at Lake Zurich.

"We just go into the playoffs with that winning attitude," senior catcher Kelly Gerli said. "We want it. Our (regular) season's behind us and now we're just playing the best we can."

Carmel (15-17) tries to keep it up Thursday when it plays second-seeded Fremd (28-3) at 4:30 p.m. in a sectional semifinal at Barrington's Fields of Dreams.

"They've been playing good softball all year," coach Jason Raymond said of his Corsairs. "We've just had a lot of one-run games. We've been on the losing end of them and we've been on the winning end of some. So we got a lot of experience (in close games), not just from last year. The younger kids, the new kids who didn't necessarily play a lot last year in the playoffs, were able to play some really good teams this year tough and close. It was really good experience for the playoffs."

On a sun-splashed day, Tack shined. The sophomore struck out six and didn't walk a batter in improving her career postseason record to 6-1.

"I've never talked to her about it, but it takes her a while to warm up," Raymond said. "It seems like she pitches better the warmer the weather gets. I don't know what it is, but she's got more pop on her fastball."

Tack didn't disagree with her coach. As the season heats up, literally and figuratively, she gets better in the circle.

"Well, I get cold real easily," Tack said. "I don't like cold weather."

Against Mundelein (10-21), Carmel got off to a hot start, scoring 3 runs in the bottom of the first off Mustangs ace Leslie Harshey.

Harshey hit Claire Anastos with one out, then struck out her second batter of the inning. But a booted groundball and walk to Kelly Cook loaded the bases. Shea Crowley then coaxed a free pass to plate Anastos. Meg Grady followed with a 2-run single.

Gerli led off the Carmel third by reaching on an error. After a sacrifice bunt by Katie Cornell and a fielder's choice, Crowley ripped an RBI single to pad the Corsairs' lead to 4-0.

"Carmel hit the ball well," Mundelein coach Ted Juske said. "I know what he does. He bunts and he puts pressure on your defense, and he does a great job. I remember him doing that last year at the sectional (at Mundelein)."

While Carmel out-hit Mundelein only 6-4, the Corsairs made the most out of their singles. Which wasn't always the case during the regular season.

"We haven't had the timely hit," Raymond said. "That two-out hit with the bases loaded or runners in scoring position we haven't been getting. But we've been getting it lately."

"We made up with the clutch hits today," Crowley said. "Everybody did."

Gerli added a run-scoring single in the fifth to score Anastos, who had led off the inning with a base hit. Crowley finished 2-for-2 with 2 RBI.

"I was just really excited to play Mundelein," Crowley said, "because I know a lot of kids on that team from my (Mundelein Thunder) travel team."

Harshey allowed only 1 earned run and struck out seven in her 6 innings. She, Jordan Lundsten, Kaitlin Yoder and Katie Randau had the Mustangs' hits.

"The two (defensive) mistakes cost us," Juske said. "But then again, as I told the girls, we got to score."