Softball: Hersey makes history with first division title in 22 years
Since the Mid-Suburban League realigned its divisions from North and South to East and West in 1990, Hersey's softball team went into the 2017 spring season without a title.
But when senior center fielder Sophia Cano snagged Katelyn O'Rourke's hard-hit liner for the final out of Monday's 7-3 win at Buffalo Grove, the Huskies were division champs for the first time since 1995 - when none of the current Huskies were even born.
"It's super crazy," Cano said. "This whole team really wanted it. It really meant a lot for us to do it for coach (Molly) Freeman. "We all wanted to set records and leave legacies, especially for our five seniors. Getting this for coach Freeman was great."
The Huskies struck early and never looked back. They led 5-0 after 3 innings and then fittingly got their sixth and seventh runs in the fifth inning by an individual record holder at Hersey.
Senior Katie Wingerter's 2-run homer, a single-season school record 18th and record 42nd in her career, made it 7-1.
"It was fitting and we certainly needed it,' Freeman said. "We really never got into a hitting rhythm, so for her to come up with a big hit like that really put us on the right path."
Hersey's path now takes the Huskies to Thursday's Mid-Suburban League championship game when they host MSL West champion Barrington (30-2, 15-0).
"The great thing about Katie is that you can always rely on her to come up with the big hit," Freeman added about the Northern Illinois recruit, who drew 2 bases-loaded walks in the game.
And Freeman has been able to rely on her seniors who have helped the Huskies to a 22-6 record and 11-5 mark in the East.
"It's the team chemistry," Freeman said of the Huskies' championship season the saw them edge defending league champion Elk Grove by one game. "It's really a special group of girls who care about each other and demand the best of each other."
"Our goal every year is to win the division but this group has always been determined and our senior have been the stretch to do it. They were going to be East champions no matter what."
Makayla Tsagalis (2-for-3) led off the game with a double and came home on Remy Gerew's two-out double, which proved to be the game-winning RBI in Huskies' history-making win.
"It's awesome to be able to leave this legacy at Hersey," Gerew said. "Coach Freeman has done so much for us. It's great to pull this out for her."
The Bison tried to pull it out in the bottom of the seventh.
Senior Jasmine Avalos, a Milwaukee School of Engineering recruit, belted her fourth homer, a 2-run, one-out shot over the left-center fence that made it 7-3.
Lauren Beiersdorf singled to right and Samantha Hansen reached on an error, so the Bison had the potential tying run in the on-deck circle.
However, Bailitz (10-1) got the next batter on the fly out to Cano.
"I knew Sarah would find a way to get us out of the inning," Gerew said. "She knows how to make them hit the ball and let our defense make the plays."
As usual, senior Jackie Bednar handled the catching duties for Bailitz.
"Catching Sarah is a wonderful time," said Bednar, who is committed to Oberlin College in Ohio. "It's very exciting because it's our senior year and this is a great group of girls. It's just a great win for us."
Bailitz finished with a 6-hitter and 2 strikeouts.
Grace Gran led the Bison by going 2-for-4 while Oshkosh recruit Katie Fontanetta, Hansen and Hannah Young also had hits for BG (14-16, 6-10).
Fontanetta also robbed Gerew of a hit with a superb catch in center field while Gran made a nifty play at shortstop going deep in the hole to take a hit away from Bednar in the fourth inning.
Highlighting the Huskies' defense was third baseman Brianna Luciano, who dove for O'Rourke' smash in the second inning, popped back up and threw a strike to Gerew at first to get the out.