Lake Park 9, Plainfield South 2

The Lake Park Lancers weren't going to let another opportunity for a big inning pass them by.

After witnessing the game-changing effects a missed chance can bring in the sectional finals against West Chicago, the Lancers seized an early 4-run lead and cruised to a 9-2 victory over Plainfield South in Monday's Class 4A Benedictine University supersectional softball matchup.

The Lancers earned their fifth trip downstate with the victory, returning to East Peoria after a one-year hiatus.

They will play Barrington at 7 p.m. Friday at EastSide Centre in East Peoria.

Lake Park coach Cray Allen felt proud of every girl on his team, but two members stood out.

"The most important reason in this win, and the happiest I am right now, is for Lynsey Ciezki, who I've had four years, and Missy Mazur, who I've had three," Allen said. "They have worked their tails off for three and four years."

Lake Park (33-4) grabbed a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first, sending eight batters to the plate against Cougars (26-9) pitcher Alyssa Schrader.

Vicki Tomaka drove in a pair of runs with a double to center that gave Lake Park a 3-0 advantage.

Allen considered playing conservatively in the first inning with runners on base, but he decided to let the Lancers avenge their sectional finals performance.

"Last time against West Chicago we got (runners on) second and third, nobody out, and we don't score in the first inning," Allen said. "If it happens again, I was prepared to bunt three straight times to get girls in. We weren't going to scoreless in the first inning with that same situation."

The Lancers broke the game open in the bottom of the fourth, pushing their lead to 8-2 on an Alexis Munaco's double and Schrader's wild pitch.

After losing several seniors from last year's team, Ciezki and the Lancers may have lacked some confidence in April. But earning a trip downstate has certainly changed their perception.

"At the beginning of the year we thought we had no chance, but now we're going and it's awesome," Ciezki said. "We lost so many seniors last year -- basically the whole lineup -- and we have a really young team, but we peaked at the right time and pulled it through."

"It seems like the road is paved for us, so we're going to try to take every chance we get."