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Softball: New Trier comes back after Lake Zurich's dazzling start

Sparkling described more than just center fielder Jessica Puccinelli's cheeks, which she smeared with silver glitter for Lake Zurich's state tournament softball opener.

"That's been a tradition (for the playoffs) since I've been on varsity," Puccinelli, a junior and three-year varsity starter, said of the colorful and elaborate eye black.

Sparkling also described Lake Zurich's prospects of upsetting visiting New Trier after Puccinelli's solo homer padded the Bears' cushion to four runs in the top of the fourth inning.

In the end, however, it was the seventh-seeded Trevians who shined in the sunshine at Lake Zurich. Ellie Head delivered a two-out, walk-off double - missing a 2-run homer by inches - in the bottom of the eighth, as New Trier prevailed 7-6 over the 10th-seeded Bears on Thursday to advance to Saturday's 11 a.m. Class 4A regional final against No. 2 Zion-Benton.

"It was a tough game," New Trier coach John Cadwell said.

Lake Zurich (10-21) had a tough game in the field, committing 5 errors.

"That's actually better than what we've been doing," Bears coach Amanda Rodriguez said. "Probably the past two weeks, we've averaged about 7-9 errors a game."

Puccinelli's third home run of the season - a rope to left field - with one out in the fourth extended Lake Zurich's lead to 6-2, but New Trier reliever Eloise Trout finished the game by retiring 13 of the 16 next hitters. Melissa Goldberg (1-for-3) led off the Bears sixth with a walk, and Mackenzie Brinn reached on an error to start the seventh. But with Brinn on first base, a popped-up bunt resulted in a double play, which proved even more crucial when Stephanie Keefe followed with a double.

Lake Zurich's next four batters, including all three in the eighth, made outs.

"I was feeling up and really confident (after the homer)," said Puccinelli, who finished 2-for-4 and was the only player on her team with more than one hit. "I felt like we were playing really hard and doing our best, and that's all we could have asked for in this game. I thought we had a shot."

New Trier (16-16) scored once in its half of the fourth, twice in the fifth and once in the sixth on Head's RBI groundout to tie the score. Keefe, who went the distance in the circle for Lake Zurich, retired the first two batters in the New Trier eighth. Gillian Gossard (3-for-5) then singled and scored from first base when Head's towering drive hit the fence in left field on the fly, just out of the reach of left fielder Emily Hunt.

When Head reached second base, as Gossard scored easily, Head's celebration was delayed.

"I hit it really high so I didn't know what was going to happen," said Head, who finished 3-for-5 with 3 RBI. "I was just running. I was more worried about getting Gill home. I didn't think it was going to be a home run."

Trout, who pitched 6⅔ innings in relief (2 runs, 6 strikeouts), got help from her defense. Shortstop Shayle Arenson and third baseman Peyton Arenson both made diving catches to rob Puccinelli and Julia Zaucha, respectively, of hits.

Shayle Arenson also made a sliding catch behind second base to deny Keefe a single.

"They've gotten better throughout the season," Cadwell said of his infielders. "At the beginning of the season, they weren't nearly as willing to risk and commit. They've done some things recently that have been remarkable."

"(We) made some great plays," Head said. "We fed off that."

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