Softball: Lemont edges Providence Catholic to advance to sectional final

LEMONT – It’s no secret that Lemont has been one of the best softball programs in the state the past few years. They’ve won back-to-back Class 3A state championships. Yet entering the 2024 season, there were legitimate questions about how they’d fare with Sage Mardjetko now at South Carolina.

So far, the answer has been: Just fine.

Lemont had to battle for it, but they ultimately came out on top in the Class 3A Lemont Sectional semifinal game against Providence Catholic on Wednesday night, winning 6-5. It now advances to the sectional final where it will face Oak Forest.

Getting it done wasn’t easy. The game was a battle with four lead changes and a tie game entering the final inning before Lemont secured the win and improved their overall record to 24-11.

“It was a great game,” coach Chris Traina said. “Providence is a good team. This was just a team win all together. Everyone came in and worked together in support of each other. That’s what it’s all about.”

Providence started strong with a two-out RBI double by Sophia Thormeyer to score Ava Pandolfi in the bottom of the first inning. Lemont managed to tie the game in the third with a bases-loaded walk of Raegan Duncan to score Mallory Corse. Lemont then pulled ahead on a fielders’ choice that allowed Allison Pawlowicz to score and make it 2-1.

Providence answered in the bottom of the inning. Kailee O’Sulivan’s RBI single to score Grace Golebiowski tied the game once again before the Celtics retook the lead when Pandolfi scored on an error. A sacrifice fly by Mia Sanfratello to score Abby Johnson made it 4-1 for Providence.

In the fifth, Lemont’s Avaree Taylor tied the game with an RBI single to score Duncan and Pawlowicz. Taylor later scored on an error to give Lemont the advantage once again, 5-4. The Celtics weren’t done, however, as Sanfratello scored on an error in the sixth to knot things up at 5-all.

Lemont took the lead in the seventh after Duncan scored on a fielding error off a ground ball by Taylor to make it 6-5 which is how it stayed.

Lemont was led by Taylor’s three RBIs and Duncan’s two runs.

Providence Catholic (23-9) was led by O’Sulivan, who struck out six batters. The Celtics had won seven games in a row and had outscored their past five opponents 64-2 entering Wednesday’s contest. It was an outstanding season for coach Jim Holba’s squad.

Lemont is once again back in the sectional finals. Traina says that it’s all about the culture the girls have established.

“I give it to the girls,” Traina said. “We built on it and kept going. We set the bar high and they keep working to make it even higher from every single person. Things changed a little this season with people in new positions and new leadership roles, but they’re showing the younger ones what we need.”

Now the test will be to see if Lemont can repeat as sectional champions Friday against Oak Forest. Duncan and Traina were in agreement when asked what the biggest factor would be in making that happen.

“Teamwork,” Duncan said. " I think that’s the biggest thing. As long as we come in here trusting each other, it’ll all figure itself out.”