Elmwood Park knocks out Guerin

Updated: June 4, 2011 10:10PM

It took a year and a few perilous early innings before Elmwood Park could exact some revenge for last year’s sectional final loss.

On Saturday, the Tigers roared back from an early 4-0 deficit to put up a six-run third inning on their way to an 11-4 Class 3A sectional championship win on their home field against Guerin.

The win pits Elmwood Park (24-15) against Metro Suburban Conference foe Glenbard South, which defeated the Tigers twice during the regular season, in the supersectional on Monday at Judson University in Elgin.

Senior shortstop Kate Zucker, who was 2-for-4 with five RBI in on the day, turned the game around with her bases-clearing triple with one out in the bottom of the third inning to draw Elmwood Park within 4-3. She added a two-run double in the following inning that made the score 8-4 in favor of the Tigers.

“(Coach Erica Hanrahan) actually wanted me to bunt before my at-bat,” Zucker said regarding her first double, “and I just wanted to do what’s best for the team, but I just had to get it done. It’s going to be somebody so why not me? Then I remembered how it felt last year (when Guerin won in extra innings), and I didn’t want that to happen again.”

Senior second baseman Danielle Kerschhackl went 3-for-3 with two RBI, two stolen bases, and a run scored, helping continue the third-inning rally for the Tigers. Senior first baseman Colleen LeFevour also had three hits with an RBI and two runs scored. Senior left fielder Missy Nunez had two hits and a run scored as well.

Junior Katelyn Jakobsen came on in relief of sophomore Gabby Uvelli to earn the win. She threw three strong innings, striking out three while allowing a hit, walk and one hit batsman. Uvelli came back later in the game and wound up pitching three innings as well, striking out four and walking none, allowing four runs — two of which were earned — on three hits. Freshman Nicole Di Giovanni finished off the last inning allowing just one hit.

“It’s our dream to win the state championship, and we have to win just one more game to get Downstate,” said Elmwood Park coach Erica Hanrahan. “It’s going to be nerve-racking no matter what anyone tells you about relaxing. We’ve been there before so we should know how to channel those nerves in a positive direction and be aggressive. We need to hold them the first couple of innings and we can’t get too nervous. We have experience with Glenbard South so we know what they’ll come with. There will be no surprises.”

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