Mazur, Lake Park Lancers deliver
Missy Mazur did it for dad.
The Lake Park senior hit a tying 2-run double in the sixth and came around to score the eventual winning run in the Lancers' 3-2 win over New Trier in Saturday's Class 4A softball third-place game at Eastside Centre in East Peoria.
"I said 'dad,' before I stepped to the plate," Mazur said, "and then I hit it."
Missy's dad, Mick Mazur, was unable to make the trip to East Peoria this weekend. He experienced his third occurrence of throat cancer in February. Mick Mazur did attend Lake Park's supersectional win in Lisle on Monday, his first game in some time.
"I tell you, Missy is a heck of an athlete and a very mature young woman," Lake Park coach Cray Allen said. "I'm proud of her."
Lake Park (34-5) trailed 2-0 going into the bottom of the sixth. With one out leadoff hitter Lynsey Ciezki, who went 3-for-3, beat out an infield hit. She went to second when Carly Willert reached on an error, and both runners moved up on a double steal.
On a 2-2 pitch, the seventh of a tense at-bat between Mazur and New Trier sophomore pitcher Kelsey Lee, Mazur belted a changeup over the center fielder. Both runners scored and Mazur went to third on the play. Mazur scored ahead of the throw on Alexis Munaco's sacrifice fly.
"I never expect changeup," Mazur said, "I always expect fastball. I just waited back on it, reloaded and let it drive."
Mazur had come up in a similar situation in Friday's semifinal loss to Barrington. Down a run with a runner on, she struck out to end the sixth inning. Nobody on Lake Park's side expected to come away empty-handed again.
"I have all the confidence in Missy," Ciezki said. "I've been playing with her my whole life."
"She's been struggling," Allen said, "but I kept thinking if we can just continue to sacrifice runners over for Missy, she's going to come through for us. She's too talented. That roulette wheel's not going to come up red every time. It has to hit black eventually."
New Trier (28-11) broke a scoreless tie in the fifth, Lee doubling in Jessica Snyder. The Trevians made it 2-0 in the top of the sixth, Molly Spence hitting a 1-0 changeup from Mazur over the fence in left.
Not Mazur's fault, said her coach.
"For her to come back and pick me up on a pitch call I made -- and I take the blame -- she's an unbelievable talent," Allen said. "She got me off the schneid."
Snyder singled with one out in the seventh, but Lancers center fielder Vicki Tomaka made a running catch in the gap and Mazur (24-5) struck out her sixth batter to end the game.
Lake Park's third-place trophy is its third in six years. The Lancers placed second in Class AA in 2003 and fourth in 2005.
Ciezki, a four-year starter who will play at DePaul next year, played on that 2005 team. She and Mazur, who will play at Iowa, were the only senior starters on this team.
"I would have never expected it at the beginning of the year," said Ciezki, "but the girls really came together. I love them all."