Glenbard North's Dopart dominates again

Glenbard North used good hitting and a strong pitching performance by Cece Dopart to defeat Willowbrook 7-0 and capture the Class 4A Rolling Meadows regional final on Saturday.

The Panthers (26-5) will advance to the Bartlett sectional semifinals against St. Charles North on Tuesday.

Dopart (23-4) was dominant, throwing a 1-hitter while striking out 14 batters and walking one.

"(Dopart) came out and attacked early, got ahead of the batters and had good pop today," said Panthers coach Josh Sanew. "She hit her spots and threw hard. What can you say about what she's done this year? She's been unbelievable and pitched like the top pitcher in the state."

Pitching a nearly perfect game, Dopart faced only 22 batters. She struck out nine consecutive hitters prior to the Warriors' Sam Schmidt getting her team's only hit in the fourth inning.

"I was throwing really hard," Dopart said. "I felt like everything was working well. They came out strong, but we came out a little stronger. It was a good game. They're a good team."

Warriors pitcher Zoe Dannenberg (10-6) pitched well at the start but got tagged for a run in the third. Dopart led off the inning with a single and advanced on a sacrifice and an infield out. She scored on a single by Sydney Benz to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead.

"It was nice to have (Sidney) Benz get that big two-out hit to get that first run just to get us going a little bit," Sanew said. "We were not hitting the ball in the first three innings. We weren't taking good swings and chasing a little bit."

It was a 1-run game in the fourth inning when the Panthers scored three runs and added three more in the fifth that included a 2-run double by Stephanie Campos.

"I'd been struggling the last two at-bats, I couldn't really find it," Campos said. "On that pitch I was trying to relax and swing like I know how to swing. (Dannenberg) was throwing really hard and hitting her spots really well."

The Warriors (21-11) were looking for their first regional title since 1993.

"I wish we would have had a little more confidence early in the game," said Warriors coach Rachel Karos. "We gave them three or four solid innings. Your confidence doesn't get greater when you don't take the swings that you should be taking. Unfortunately our season has shown when we're hot, we're all hot, when we're cold, we're all cold. And that's where we're at today."