Girls Softball

June 4,2007

Oh...So Close

Resurrection 5

Lane 4

8 innings

Lane Tech was one out away from becoming the first Public League team to make it to the state supersectionals

(Resurrection High School, Chicago, IL) Lane's glorious run in the state playoffs ended Saturday. Heavily favored Resurrection scored a run on an infield single in extra innings to win the game.

Down by one run in the top of the sixth inning Lane scored a run to tie the game. Then, in the 7th inning, Lane pushed in a run to take a 4-3 lead. Then came the bottom the last half of the 7th inning, Resurrection came to bat. The first batter popped out. The next batter got t walk from Lane pitcher Jazzy Camacho. Next up for Resurrection was their star pitcher and hitter, Hana Somogyi. Somogyi came into the game leading the Bandits with a .419 batting average. So Camacho was cautious every time Somogyi came to bat. In her three previous at bats, Camacho walked her all three times. In this at bat with a 3-0 count, Somogyi stroked a single deep in lef tfield to put runners on first and second with only one out.

The next batter hit a sharp ground ball up the middle. Stellar defensive second baseman, Bernadette Hansen was able to come up with a spectacular catch of the ball. She stepped on second to force the runner out at second. All she needed to do was make an incredible throw to first base and the game would be over. But it was not to be .her throw was just high and the pitch got away from Lane Tech first baseman Rebecca Cavanaugh. That allowed a Resurrection runner to score to tie the game and go into extra innings. In the 8th inning, Resurrection scored the wining run when shortstop Maria Joyce could not field properly a sharply hit ground ball. The winning run scored form third and Resurrection got the victory.

After upsetting Loyola 2-0 earlier this week, Lane came into this game as the first ever Public League team to make it to a sectional final in girls softball. They were so close to becoming the first ever Public League girls softball team to make it to the state supersectionals. Congratulations on an excellent effort by the girls softball team this year.!!!

Denise Bilski (catcher) is the only starter that Lane loses to graduation after this year. This year's team made history in being the only Public League team ever to make it to a sectional final in girls softball. photo courtesy Mark Nikolich