Softball: Downers Grove South takes third place

EAST PEORIA, Ill. - The floodgates finally opened for Downers Grove South in the final at-bat of its softball season.

"We had been struggling hitting the whole state finals," said Downers South's Rutgers-bound senior Nicole Bowman.

But Bowman had a 2-run single as part of an 8-run burst in the bottom of the sixth inning Saturday afternoon at sultry Eastside Centre in the Class 4A third-place game.

The Mustangs turned a precarious 1-run lead against first-time finals entrant DeKalb into a 10-1 rout in the final game of the career of legendary coach Ron Havelka.

Nearly a quarter-century after leading the Mustangs to their only state championship in his first season as coach, Havelka finished with 704 victories.

"Twenty-four years went by pretty fast," said Havelka, who directed the 1993 squad to the Class AA title over Herrin. "I have been retired from teaching for nine years. It's time."

DeKalb (26-8) imploded in the sixth inning after throwing a major scare into the Mustangs (36-4) in the top half of the inning.

The Barbs chased Downers South ace pitcher Caroline Hedgcock; Havelka summoned Payton Buresh into the game, and she stranded a Barb on every base on a called third strike.

DeKalb paid dearly for its lost opportunity when Downers South capitalized on a series of physical and mental errors on the Barbs' behalf.

In collecting 7 of their 13 hits in the inning, Downers South received multiple-run hits by Bowman and St. Louis University recruit Megan LoBianco.

"We really keyed up on their errors," Bowman said.

Kristan Bialek, who finished 3-for-4 on the day, and Kristin Lea had the other run-producing hits for Downers South.

Hedgcock, who was attempting to break the school single-season record for home runs with her 23rd on the year, came tantalizingly close in the fifth inning.

After delivering Bialek with the opening run on a first-inning single, the Arkansas recruit had a double to the farthest reaches of the park to score Bialek once again.

"Only two teams get to end the season with a win," Hedgcock said. "I am so sad (to lose Havelka as coach). We're all going to miss him a lot."

Hedgcock (14-1) was credited with the win for the Mustangs.

Buresch, who entered the tournament with a 13-2 record and a 1.01 ERA identical's to Hedgcock's ERA, stranded two DeKalb runners to end the game.

"A lot of good memories," Havelka said moments after addressing his players for the final time. "It was (a) very devastating (loss in the semifinals on Friday to Normal West). I thought the kids bounced back fine."

In addition to the triumvirate of Hedgcock, Bowman and LoBianco, Bialek is headed to Murray State for a fourth Division I recruit.

Lea will attend Division II power Lindenwood University.