Softball: It's Lake Zurich, in turbulent test vs. Mundelein

Mother and new baby are fine.

And so too is Lake Zurich's softball coach.

While Mundelein coach Heather Ryan was back coaching her softball players just three days after giving birth to 7-pound, 9-ounce Brooke Kathleen - the third child for her and husband Zack - Lake Zurich coach Dann Giesey was resting up at home. The longtime coach suffered a heart attack last week but was feeling well enough Thursday to text his team after the eighth-seeded Bears beat the No. 9 Mustangs 13-12 in a seesaw Class 4A regional semifinal in Mundelein.

"When it first happened we were all upset because he was gone, and I think we were a little dismantled," Lake Zurich sophomore third baseman Elizabeth Chialdikas said of her coach's unexpected absence. "But we got back to practice and are now just going at it hard. We know he's cheering us on."

Lake Zurich (14-15) advances to Saturday's 11 a.m. final against top-seeded Warren (26-2), which swept the Bears and its six other North Suburban Conference foes during the regular season.

Lake Zurich played three games last week without Giesey.

"It was hard," said assistant coach Alex Block, who's a 2009 Lake Zurich graduate. "Last week shook us a little bit. We were really worried about him. But once we heard he was OK, we tried to refocus and really pull it together by the end of the week."

Chialdikas' fourth hit of the game, a 2-run single with one out in the top of the seventh off reliever Annie Morelli, gave the Bears an 11-10 lead. Haley Gajewski followed with a 2-RBI single for an important pair of insurance runs.

That's because in the bottom of the seventh, Mundelein sophomore Kira Buckner belted her second homer of the game, after Danielle Lambert (3-for-5) reached on an infield single to start the inning.

Breanna Adams (4-for-5, 2 doubles) singled one out later to put the tying run on base, but Stephanie Keefe got back-to-back outs, including a called-third strike to end it. Keefe had entered the game to pitch after freshman Maura Ginn threw the first 5 innings for the Bears.

"Steph, great pitching at the end to get that last strikeout," Chialdikas said.

Chialdikas (4-for-5, 3 RBI) and Keefe (3-for-4) paced Lake Zurich's 14-hit attack, which did not include any extra-base hits.

Mundelein (17-11) pounded out 16 hits, and no one had a better day at the plate than Buckner. She went 4-for-5 with 2 homers, a double and 6 RBI. Her 3-run homer in the fourth tied the score at 5-5. It was the fourth game in a row in which Buckner homered.

She was walking by the gym on Thursday when - surprise - she spotted her head coach.

"I told her, 'You're a very strong but crazy woman,' " Buckner said with a laugh of Ryan. "I really respected that she came back and she coached for us when it really mattered. I think we really needed that, too."

It wasn't like Ryan had an easy time delivering new her baby girl, either. The fact that she was not only at the game but coaching at third base and making regular visits to the pitching circle was amazing.

"It was not an easy labor because I think she (baby Brooke) was mad at me for all the stress I put her through," Ryan joked. "(The birth) happened at a good time because we didn't have any games and we had a few days to practice. Coach Billone (assistant coach Michelle Billone) did a great job of getting the girls ready."

Ultimately, Ryan felt an obligation to her players.

"I couldn't wait to get back," she said. "It was hard leaving the baby (with grandma), but I am a big-time control freak, and I just wanted to be here for the girls. They've meant the world to me all season."

Kendall Klatt added 3 hits, including a double, for Mundelein. Lake Zurich, which squandered leads of 5-1 and 8-5, had eight players contribute hits. Abby Jokerst was 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI.

"Last week each girl brought in an article on mental toughness," Block said. "That was our focus at the end of last week. That's what we were going through (today) - staying strong, staying on top of it, staying up. Even when (the opponent) comes back, we don't fall apart. That's been our motto."