Barrington seniors strut their stuff in final home game

The Barrington seniors were all in step for their final dance at the Fields of Dreams.

With senior Kiley Dolezal tossing a 5-hit shutout, the Fillies celebrated Senior Day and their final home game with a 3-0 victory over Fremd (22-5-1, 11-5).

“These six seniors can always come back for an alumni game or all-star game, but it will never be the same as this,” said Fillies softball coach Perry Peterson, whose veteran group (Dolezal, Kristin Kuhn, Colleen Shandley, Kiersten Tinkoff, Liz Owen and Dana Moran) is 119-28 in four years.

“This was all about the seniors walking off the field for the last time as winners.”

Dolezal (19-7), who struck out five, got all the runs she needed in the first inning when Colleen Shandley (single) and Krzysko (fielder’s choice after Kelsey Kazmier walked) crossed the plate on wild pitches.

“It was most important for us to get into the game right away, and we did a great job at that,” Shandley said. “Kiley did a great job, especially when they had runners in scoring position.”

Dolezal got out a bases-loaded jam in the fourth inning.

“Kiley is doing a better job” Peterson said. “She is realizing that a few small adjustment we’ve made can make a significant difference in the game.”

Tinkoff, who made a nifty over-the-shoulder catch of a popup to end the top of the fourth, Krzysko, Owen (double), Jordan Wekony and Dana Moran also had hits for Barrington (23-10, 11-4).

Megan Hubbard’s double followed by Megan Horn’s single to center gave Fremd runners on first and third with one out in the seventh.

But Dolezal got a strikeout and groundout to third baseman Krzysko to end the game.

“After the first inning, Ashlynne (Schwantz, who is 10-2) pitched really well,” said Fremd coach Jim Weaver, whose Vikings also got hits from Allie Gaeding, Brittany Ciura (double) and Michelle Mazur. “But we did not do a good job at the plate. We have to be smarter and more aggressive. We’re running out of time. We’ll work to get better at it.”