Lincoln-Way Central tops Providence to win WJOL Softball Tourney title

JOLIET – Bella Dimitrijevic wasn’t expecting to pitch in the championship game of the WJOL Tournament after striking out 14 in a two-hitter against Lincoln-Way West in the semifinal that finished just before the title game.

But the Florida State-bound senior from Lincoln-Way Central was summoned to the circle in the fifth inning Thursday after Providence Catholic rallied from a nine-run deficit in the third to cut the Knights’ lead to 10-6 in the fifth.

Dimitrijevic, the tournament MVP, came on to pitch in the bottom of the fifth with a runner on third and one out after Providence had scored twice already in the inning. She struck out the next two hitters, then five of the next seven to secure the 10-6 win. She also delivered three RBIs earlier in the game to help the Knights build their lead.

“I did what the team needed,” Dimitrijevic said about her relief stint. “I was real glad to put the bat on the ball today. I was struggling at the plate a little bit before this game.

“We lost quite a bit from last year’s team [that reached a Class 4A supersectional], but the new girls have fit in really well.”

Dimitrejevic drove in the first run of the game in the top of the first when her grounder to second scored Carly Karales, who led off the game with a single, went to second on a wild pitch and reached third on a bunt by Ellie McLaughlin.

Central’s Brooke Seppi shut out the Celtics (4-3) in the bottom of the first before the Knights got more in the second. Ava Quinlan and Teagan Berkshire each delivered an RBI single, while Karales had an RBI groundout. The Knights added five more in the third, the big blow a single through the middle by Dimitrijevic with the bases loaded.

Providence, which had its best finish in the six years of the tournament, got on the board in the third with a two-run homer by Angelina Cole. Teammate Ava Misch added a two-run shot in the fourth to cut the gap to 10-4.

The Celtics kept chipping away in the fifth, scoring twice, once on a wild pitch and once on an RBI single by Allie Hill (2 for 3, double) before Dimitrijevic was summoned from the bullpen.

“Bella had a great outing in that first game against Lincoln-Way West, and she told us after that game that she had some left if we needed her,” Lincoln-Way Central coach Jeff Tarala said. “Brooke Seppi did a great job and set the tone for us early, and she had a great game in the first game of the tournament Tuesday against Coal City.

“I loved the girls we had last year and all due respect to them, but we are a better hitting team this year. We have a toughness and diversity in our lineup. We have a couple of lefty slappers in Carly Karales and Mia Degliomini that set the table, and the middle of our lineup hits the ball hard. These girls will keep getting better.”

Besides Dimitrijevic, All-Tournament selections for the Knights were Karales, Degliomini and Jamiee Bolduc, while Providence’s Cole, Bella Olszta and Macie Robbins also were named All-Tournament.

“This was a good tournament for us,” Providence coach Jim Holba said. “I think this is the first time we haven’t played Lockport in the first round, and we were able to beat them in the semifinals today. Then we hung in there with a very good Lincoln-Way Central team and never gave up. The girls kept chipping away and never lost their confidence.

“I think we are on a good track. The girls have shown that they can compete with anybody. This is a grinder of a tournament, and to take second in it is something for us to be proud of and build on.”