Conant hits it big with MSL title
Conant coach CathyAnn Smith hit it right on head, just like her players hit the softball in Thursday’s 37th annual Mid-Suburban League championship.
“Softball is back at Conant High School,” said Smith, after the Cougars pounded out 10 hits in a 5-1 victory at Elk Grove. “It feels wonderful to bring the MSL title back home after such a long time.”
Thirty-six years, to be exact.
“Our coach (Smith) was 1 year old when Conant (26-2) last won this,” said Hilary O’Donnell, the Cougars senior center fielder and captain who set the tone for the offense with a solo home run over the left-field fence as the second batter of the game. “We did it for our coaches (Smith and assistant Kelly Wolff). They have done everything for us.”
O’Donnell (3-for-4) did plenty for the MSL West champs. She also had the Cougars’ final hit, a double to right-center to lead off the seventh.
“It was like a lot of pressure was taken off when Hilary hit that first homer,” said Cougars ace Briana Cavin (21-2), who put the pressure on Elk Grove (27-4) all the way while tossing a 4-hitter with 8 strikeouts.
“A lot of people told us we weren’t supposed to win, so the pressure wasn’t really on us in the first place. It was on them.”
Paige Ward applied more pressure in the sixth when the Cougars’ senior first baseman belted a 2-out, 2-run homer to right, sparking a 3-run inning.
Freshman Rachel O’Malley followed with a double down the left-field line and came home on pinch hitter Kailee Pasbrig’s double to right-center for a 5-1 lead. That was plenty for Cougars ace Briana Cavin, who gave up her only run in the bottom of the fifth on a two-out RBI single by Grens catcher Devan Parkison.
First baseman Becca Walz had started the inning by reaching on an error.
“The nerves got to everyone,” Walz said about the big game. “Now we’ve got to get ready for the postseason. Conant definitely showed it could hit.”
Seven of the Cougars’ 10 hits were for extra bases.
After O’Donnell’s blast in the first, Allie Bauch followed with a double to left-center and came home on an RBI single to center by catcher Miranda Cavin (2-for-4).
Ward also had a double to lead off the second inning.
“Our hitting hasn’t been all that great lately but the girls said they were going to bring their bats for this game,” Smith said. “They sure came alive and they did it against one of the best pitchers (junior Dani Goranson who is 24-4) in the state. So kudos to them.”
In addition to Parkison’s RBI single, the Grens other hits were a single by Jessica Balzano (third inning), a single by Tori Liewergen (fifth inning) and a double to lead off the fourth by Goranson.
Goranson defeated the Cougars 6-2 on April 11.
“It was two teams who are having terrific seasons,” said Elk Grove Hall of Famer Ken Grams, who was coaching in his 17th title game. “Somebody had to win, somebody had to lose.
“Hopefully we can play them again in the state tournament. Briana (Cavin) is terrific pitcher and she had an excellent day. It’s good to see pitchers who throw like her.”
Cavin increased her single-season school record to 21 wins.
“We were excited about this game as soon as we got on the bus coming here,” said Briana Cavin, whose sophomore catcher is her sister Miranda.
“When Bri and Miranda are in tune, I don’t think anyone can stop them,” Smith said. “They are amazing to watch.”
O’Donnell said it felt amazing to belt her first home run of the season.
“I was just looking to make solid contact,” said O’Donnell, who fouled off four pitches after a 2-2 count. “We knew this was a battle of the best two teams in the conference and we both wanted to win. I’m so proud of my team.”
So was Smith.
“Hilary was our leader all day — in the dugout, on the field,” the coach said.
“All day, the excitement was building for this game. We knew it would take every piece working together. The girls had it going from the beginning to the end. They have a special pride and I could not be prouder of them.”