Burlington Central ready for Oak Forest
EAST PEORIA - If numbers and statistics are worth anything at all, it's pretty clear that Burlington Central's softball team will face its toughest test of the postseason yet this morning when the Rockets take on Oak Forest in the first Class 3A state semifinal at 9:30 a.m. at Eastside Centre.
But to BC coach Scot Sutherland, numbers don't win games, performance on the field does.
"We just have to keep doing what we've been doing and let the chips fall where they may," the 10th year Rocket coach, who is 247-99 in his tenure, said.
Oak Forest (29-4) is in a state final softball tournament for the first time in program history. The Bengals, who play out of the SICA South Suburban Conference, lost to Glenbard South 4-1 in last year's supersectional and would like nothing better than a rematch with the Raiders for a state title. Glenbard South takes on Chatham Glenwood in the noon semifinal today.
In the SICA, Oak Forest plays a Class 4A-heavy schedule. Its losses are to Andrew (8-6), Hinsdale South (4-3), Mother McAuley (2-1) and Lincoln-Way East (1-0). LW-East is a common opponent, having defeated Burlington Central 7-0 at the Stone City Jamboree in late May.
The Bengals haven't allowed a run in their last four postseason games after a 12-2 win over Hillcrest in the state tournament opener. They beat Bloomington 4-0 Tuesday to win the ISU supersectional, using a 2-run home run from junior first baseman Cassie Bilotto (. 404, 25 RBI) in the fifth inning to seal the win.
But Oak Forest's game starts, as does Burlington's, in the circle. Right-handed sophomore Emily Norton pitched a 3-hitter in the supersectional and is 27-3 on the season with 319 strikeouts in 189 innings. She has an ERA of 0.44 and also hits .494 with 20 RBI.
"She's a good pitcher," Sutherland said. "She moves the ball around and she's quick."
The Bengals will also unleash more of a speed and slapping game on the Rockets than BC has seen in the postseason. Norton leads off, while senior outfielder Amy Zalud (. 356) bats second and No. 9 hitter, junior outfielder Kristyne Smyth (. 280) also are players Sutherland says make the Bengals go. Senior shortstop Amanda Sheppard (. 423) is the team's leading run producer with 40 RBI.
"They've got some kids with speed," he said. "The 1-2-9 hitters all run well and they've got some good hitters in the middle of their lineup. They've got some slappers and we haven't seen a lot of that in the postseason."
Fifth-year Oak Forest coach Paige Stryczek (115-44) says her team is ready to make a run at the state title.
"We have a pitcher who keeps her composure and we have a solid defense behind her," she said. "We're playing well and we're peaking at the right time."
The Rockets, meanwhile, have stormed into the program's first-ever Final Four appearance riding the strong right arm of senior Mackenzie Scott (20-2, 0.16 ERA, 281 Ks in 130 innings). Scott hasn't allowed a run in the postseason and threw a no-hitter against Sterling in the sectional championship and then a 1-hitter in a 2-0 win over Vernon Hills in the NIU supersectional. She's also hitting .377 with 23 RBI.
"I don't know too much about them but I do know they have a good pitcher," said Stryczek of the Rockets. "I think we'll have a pretty good pitchers duel."
The Rockets, who last made it to a state final softball tournament in 1993 (Class A quarterfinals), have struggled to score runs at times but since going 9 innings to beat Kaneland in the regional championship, they've given Scott early leads and she's been lights out from there.
Central is led offensively by junior third baseman Ashley Scheffler (. 430, 25 RBI), senior first baseman Brittany Priest (. 395, 23 RBI), senior shortstop Kayla Oranger (. 359), senior left fielder Lindsay Lange (. 378, 24 RBI) and junior catcher Sam Gruner (. 338, 24 RBI). They also have two members of the team who were also on the state runner-up volleyball team this past fall in sophomore second baseman Katie Maleski and freshman Katyln O'Reilly.
Sutherland, who has tapped into the state tournament experience of Bartlett coach Jim Wolfsmith, Barrington's Perry Peterson and Marengo's Dwain Nance for pointers on how to handle the big stage, says his team, when it isn't TP'ing his house or practicing this week, has bonded more and more during this postseason.
"The kids have been doing a lot of stuff together the past week or so," he said. "They've spent a lot of nights together 'decorating' the coach's house and they've been doing a lot of bonding things together. We've got some work to do but you have to enjoy the experience too."