Dinterman, Brottman star in Fremd victory
Fremd got the big jump on Lake Zurich in Saturday's semifinal of the Class 4A Buffalo Grove sectional.
And when the top-seeded Vikings landed, they were in a Class 4A supersectional for the second straight season under coach Jim Weaver.
Highlighted by center fielder's Tess Dinterman's bases-loaded triple, the Vikings put up 7 runs in the bottom of the first inning and never looked back en route to an 8-3 victory behind senior pitcher Lena Brottman - who notched her school-record 81st career win.
The Vikings (31-4) advance to Monday's 7 p.m. Rolling Meadows supersectional where they face another top seed, New Trier (31-7).
The Trevians received a 2-hitter from pitcher Kelsey Lee to defeat Glenbrook North 4-1 for the Niles North sectional title.
After striking out the side in the first inning, Brottman (28-2) returned to the mound with a 7-run cushion.
"Oh man, that was awesome to get those insurance runs in the first inning," said Brottman, who tossed a 6-hitter with 6 strikeouts and no walks. "We were ready right from the start."
It started with Kristine Werling's single to center.
Allie Gaeding put down a perfect sacrifice bunt that moved Werling to second. The speedy catcher went to third when Lauren Zaworski reached on a fielder's choice.
Kelly Voigt, who has swung one of the team's hottest bats and was moved into the cleanup spot, singled up the middle to drive in Werling for the first run.
Jenny Schneider followed suit with an RBI single to center.
Back-to-back walks to Alexa Cinquegrani and Megan Hubbard made it 3-0.
With the bases still loaded, No. 8 hitter Dinterman belted a liner to right-center for a 3-run triple and 6-0 lead.
"I was just trying to hit the ball out in front," Dinterman said of her big blast. "I haven't been hitting well the last few games so I wanted to be aggressive.
"We really jumped on them. I was impressed at how well everyone was hitting."
Dinterman crossed the plate on Caitlin Patenaude's two-out groundout to second for the 7-0 cushion.
"That was a great at-bat by Tess," Weaver said. "She fouled off great pitch after great pitch. She never gave up. And then her hit blew the game open."
Bears ace Megan Mattera (21-11) allowed only 1 run (RBI double by Schneider to score Zaworski in the second) and 2 hits the rest of the way.
Trailing 8-0, Mattera produced Lake Zurich's first runs when she belted a 2-run homer - her school-record 14th of the season - over the fence in center with one out in the top of the fifth.
Erin Sweeney scored the third run after she singled and came home when Kaitlin Beaver reached on an error.
"We were a little upset with our seed (No. 6)," Mattera said. "So we wanted to prove we could battle with the top seed. It was tough falling behind early but our team doesn't give up. We kept getting hits and runners on. We just needed a few more."
Bears catcher Paige Goldberg and shortstop Amanda Orchard each went 2-for-3.
"Take away the first inning and it's a different game," said Bears coach Michaela Towne. "I don't know if it was the jitters or what. But after we settled down, the defense was great. I'm so proud of how the girls battled back. They showed that never-say-die attitude."
Making their first appearance in a sectional final since 2003, the Bears finished their first season under Towne with a 24-12 record.
"I'm happy," she said. "We would have liked a little different outcome but nobody thought we'd get here. We were a No. 6 seed and we were playing for a sectional final."
Schneider (single and double) was the only Viking with multiple hits.
"We dropped Jenny down one spot in the order and she had 2 big hits," Weaver said. "One came in the first inning. Those 7 runs were huge to start the game. We came with a game plan on how we wanted to attack them and I thought everyone executed it well.
"Lena pitched well. She looked like she may have been a little gassed from the humidity. You could see both pitchers were battling that. It was nice to see Lena dig deep and throw well against a very good lineup.
"With the new 43-foot pitching distance, her numbers are actually better this season. She is more of a movement pitcher, so that helps. And she works as hard as any kid I've coached."