Softball: IC Catholic Prep clears supersectional hurdle, wins in extra innings to punch state ticket

Maddy Dinino didn’t really see what had happened.

Having matched zeros with Stillman Valley freshman pitcher Kaiya Hildreth through the first seven innings of Monday’s Class 2A Benedictine softball supersectional in Lisle, the IC Catholic Prep senior was too busy vomiting to notice what the Knights might do with the bases loaded and two outs in the eighth inning.

Only when freshman shortstop Sophia Deoudes was hit on a 1-2 count to score sophomore pinch runner Jaida Cervantes did Dinino’s queasiness give way to near-tears.

She knew she was about to complete the shutout in the bottom half of the eighth for a 1-0 victory that would give the Knights their first trip to the state finals.

“I was like, ‘This is it,’ ” said the St. Norbert-bound Dunino. “I almost started crying. I knew that this was what we needed to win.”

After serving up a leadoff single to pinch-hitter Aubry Adler in the bottom of the eighth, Dunino got the final three outs in order, never allowing Adler to advance.

Hildreth was the final batter, and she grounded to Deoudes at short, who threw to first baseman Leilani Mendez to kick start the celebration that had eluded the Knights (30-5) after falling to North Boone in both of the past two supersectionals by a combined three runs.

“I feel like the chemistry is really good,” said Deoudes, who struck out in her first three at-bats before her hit elbow became responsible for the game’s only run. “And we all work together.”

That togetherness certainly was needed when the Cardinals (29-6) threatened to walk the game off in the seventh. A two-base error and groundout to short put sophomore Sage Sweet on third.

With Karmen Knoll at the plate, Sweet attempted to steal home but was easily tagged out by Knights junior catcher Kelly Cahill.

“I'm sure they had that practiced,” Knights coach Frank Reaber said. “But you're not stealing home on my catcher. It's not happening. Kelly Cahill is too much headsy in the game. And that stuff just doesn't happen to her.”

Though Dunino then issued back-to-back walks to Knoll and Olivia Nguyen, she got Mylee Hulstedt to fly out to Sofia Bucaro in center field.

Dunino had five strikeouts and allowed four hits, none of which went for extra bases. That was needed with Hildreth shutting down IC Catholic Prep’s offense with 17 strikeouts and giving up only two hits.

Only in the eighth did Hildreth allow a Knight to reach third base. She surrendered a one-out single to Lexi Hoffman and back-to-back walks with two outs to Ema McMillen and Bucaro, setting up Deoudes’ game-deciding plate appearance.

IC Catholic now will travel down to Peoria for the state semifinals against 38-2 Seneca, playing at 2:30 p.m. Thursday. That game will determine whether they play for third place Friday or the state championship Saturday.

“Going downstate is such an honor,” said Reaber. “If we finish fourth, we finish fourth. It doesn't change anything we do.”