Glenbard S., Lake Park finish with wins

This sure isn't how Glenbard South scripted its weekend in East Peoria. But the ending was just as sweet.

Freshman Jenny Wittenberg's infield hit scored Lauren Podgorski with the winning run in the Raiders' 2-1, eight-inning win over Marengo in Saturday's third-place game of the Class 3A state softball tournament at EastSide Centre.

"They had an opportunity to win their last softball game of the season," Raiders coach Julie Fonda said. "I cannot be more happy."

To say the Raiders' two games in East Peoria were full of unexpected plot twists is an understatement.

They led Mattoon 5-0 on Friday after one inning and lost 6-5.

After five scoreless innings Saturday, Marengo broke through for an unearned run off Glenbard South ace Jill Trzaska in the sixth. Trzaska, who struck out eight, started to suffer an asthma attack in the third inning. She finally had to leave after the sixth.

"My hands were numb," Trzaska said, "and my feet were numb."

Down to the last three outs, Emily Braem drew a leadoff walk in the seventh for Glenbard South (29-7). An out later senior Therese O'Shea, pinch-hitting for Trzaska, drilled the first pitch from Marengo pitcher Sarah Steinmann deep to right for a double, scoring the tying run.

"The girls on the bench were saying the first pitch was right there. I was waiting for it," O'Shea said.

Coming to the plate cold is no picnic, though. O'Shea struck out pinch hitting in the seventh inning Friday in her only other at-bat in East Peoria.

"It's like your first at-bat in the first inning," O'Shea said, "only a lot more pressure."

Glenbard South's Robin Borowski (7-3), who pitched 2 scoreless innings in relief of Trzaska, worked out of a runner-on-third, two-out jam in the top of the eighth.

In the bottom half Podgorski, hitless since the regional final, lined a leadoff single to center.

"I've been struggling all tournament," Podgorski said, "but (assistant coach Kirsten) Beckford looked at me and said 'no better time.'"

Podgorski stole second, and went to third on Nikki Simpson's sacrifice bunt. She stayed at third as Jess Fijolek reached on a fielder's choice to third, bringing up Wittenberg.

Though a freshman, she may have been the perfect girl for a situation that cried for contact. She struck out for just the fourth all time all year in the first inning Saturday. In one season of travel softball, she struck out just once.

"I've always been like that. Good hitting coaches, I guess," Wittenberg said. "I wasn't really nervous; there was only one out."

Wittenberg hit a slow roller to first on a 1-1 pitch, and Podgorski beat the throw home for the winning run.

"(Fonda) said as soon as she hits the ball, you go," Podgorski said. "As soon as she said that I was taking off."

The third-place finish is Glenbard South's best-ever in softball. Fonda, a 1996 graduate, can appreciate that.

"We said when we came off the field that you never give up and it's never over," Fonda sad. "Mattoon showed that yesterday and we did today."