Another close call for Wauconda
Sterling stood in the way of Wauconda's softball team advancing downstate the last couple of years.
Wauconda faced a different opponent in its third straight appearance in a Class 3A supersectional.
But like the last two seasons, the Bulldogs came up just short. Marengo pulled out a 3-2 decision at Northwestern University on Tuesday, a day after storms postponed the game.
Marengo (34-6), which scored 3 unearned runs in the sixth against Wauconda's Kayla Wedl, will next face Kaneland in the state semifinals at 10 a.m. Friday at East Side Centre in East Peoria.
"We're moving on and how exciting," said Marengo coach Dwain Nance, whose team last went to state in 2012. "This is awesome. A lot of these seniors were freshmen (in 2012). We're just excited to go back and play another day. Our kids work and definitely deserve it."
Indians pitcher Mariah Dionne (25-3) closed out the final inning with her ninth and 10th strikeouts, before recording the final out on a groundball hit back to her.
"(Wauconda) is a good team," Dionne said. "They're tough. We just had to play our hardest. They're our No. 1 competitor."
The game was scoreless until the sixth. Marengo's Aubrey Wzeintek started the inning with a single that broke up Wedl's no-hit bid. The next two batters tried to bunt Wzeintek to second. The first hitter struck out and the second popped out to the catcher. Then, Jessica Turner reached base on an infield error, putting runners on second and third.
Veronica Ruelius then hit a soft flyball that dropped in short left field for a 1-0 lead. Dionne followed with a flyball that was also dropped, scoring two more runs for the 3-0 advantage.
"I was just happy to make contact," Dionne said. "I knew my first two at-bats weren't as good. So I needed to settle an do something for the team."
Wauconda (27-12) fought back with a couple of runs in the bottom of the inning and had a chance to tie the score.
Taylor McCarthy started with a single and moved to second on Paige Motley's groundout. Wedl then walked. Brooke Sefcik hit a ball to the outfield that was dropped, allowing McCarthy to score to make it 3-1.
Wedl scored on a passed ball, pulling Wauconda within 3-2, while Sefcik moved to third base.
Wauconda's next hitter, Alex Steffens, smacked a hard-hit groundball to shortstop Leah Secor, who threw home to catcher Turner, who tagged out Sefcik.
Wauconda had another scoring chance in the third inning with runners on first and second with two out. Motley singled, but Indians right fielder Ruelius threw out the runner trying to score.
"Our players were anxious and got caught into it," Wauconda coach Tim Rennels said. "That was a couple of key points. It just came down to the little things. We were not making the plays. We had some individual lapses.
"We shouldn't be on this side of the celebration," Rennels added. "Things didn't bounce our way."
UIC-commit Wedl finished with 12 strikeouts and 1 walk. The only 2 hits she allowed were in the sixth.
"I thought everything was working well," Wedl said. "I was trying to think the whole game, as was (catcher) Taylor (McCarthy). We were playing catch the entire game and didn't think about anything else."