Softball: Mundelein advances to 4A state championship game

Mundelein didn't have a home field for most of the season. Now it is playing for a softball state championship.

Kieley Tomas has three hits as the Mustangs mashed defending Class 4A State Champion Oswego 13-3 in six innings on Friday in the second 4A semifinal at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex in Peoria.

Making its fifth-ever State Finals appearance, it will be the first-ever softball championship game appearance for Mundelein. The Mustangs (23-5) will face Lincoln-Way West, a 2-1 winner over Marist, at 4:45 PM on Saturday for the title.

"It's amazing," junior second baseman Devin Hill said. "Our new field wasn't ready, so we didn't even play at home until the end of the season, and then it was only a handful of games. So we've overcome so much adversity. It's incredible, and we're so excited."

Hill is making her second State Finals appearance in the past three years. She was on the team in 2004, which lost a semifinal 7-1 to Marist and the third-place game 12-7 to Oswego.

This was a much better result, thanks in part to Hill, who went 2-for-4 with three RBI, including a first-pitch base hit to center during a five-run bottom of the first inning.

"Devin anchors the bottom of our line-up," Mundelein coach Heather Ryan said. "I called a bunt for her in the first inning, but she didn't see it, and she still came through."

That was news to Hill.

"I didn't know that," she laughed at missing the bunt sign. "But that was crazy that we scored five runs in the first inning. That took the pressure off of Shae (Johnson). I'm just so proud of my team."

Johnson, a senior righty, went the distance, allowing three earned runs on six hits with one walk and nine strikeouts.

Oswego (22-12) didn't help itself by issuing seven walks and committing three errors, which led to six unearned runs, including all of them in the first inning. Seniors Ahlivia East and Kennedy Gengler each had two hits for the Panthers.

Hill added a two-run single in a three-run third as the Mustangs extended to an 8-0 lead,

"I'm just so proud, we kept hitting," Ryan said. "The girls have just stayed so focused on their goal of winning state."

Johnson, senior first baseman Shea Eaman (2 runs, double), senior right fielder Casey Vyverman (3 runs, RBI), and sophomore catcher Avi Perez (3 runs, double) all had hits for Mundelein. Junior shortstop Taylor Pyke went 2-for-3 with two RBI, and Tomas was 3-for-5, with three RBI, including a two-out, two-run double to left in the bottom of the sixth to end the game.

"We wanted it so bad," said Tomas, a senior center fielder, who has committed to the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota. "This is my fourth year and varsity, and we got here two years ago and went 0-2. But today, Shae threw a great game, and I wanted to get that hit at the end to save her arm.

"We're in the championship game. This is the way the little girl in me wanted to end my high school career."