Trinity races past Macs

Trinity’s Annie Logisz (front) is swarmed by her teammates after scoring the game-winning run against Mother McAuley.
(Scott Powers/For the Sun-Times)

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Annie Logisz may not have been the best choice as maid of honor for her sister’s wedding on Saturday.

When 1 p.m. arrives Saturday afternoon, Logisz can already guarantee her mind won’t be focused on the wedding. All her thoughts will be on her Trinity teammates as they try to win the program's first GCAC championship.

“I was definitely considering not going to the wedding,” said Logisz with a laugh. “I don’t think that would have been allowed.”

The Blazers (21-6) will be playing Saturday thanks to Logisz, though, as she used her lightning speed to score the decisive run in a 5-4 win over Mother McAuley Thursday in the semifinals at Triton College.

On a grounder back to the pitcher by Laura Eichenold in the bottom of the seventh inning, Logisz broke for home from third, sprinted down the line and slid past the tag of McAuley catcher Des Aramburu at the plate for the game-winning run.

“I was a little apprehensive at first,” Logisz said. “You can’t hesitate. If you wait on that, there’s no chance. If it’s a grounder anywhere except for third and the pitcher, you’re supposed to go. Maybe I should have stayed.

“I don’t even remember what happened [at the plate]. My coach said I slid underneath the catcher.”

Trinity coach Bob Osborne had no problem with Logisz trying to score. He was willing to take that risk.

“We were being aggressive on that,” Osborne said. “We were going on any grounder. … That was fun.”

McAuley (11-7) had its own heroics in the top of the seventh as Aramburu drove in Kate Sears with a single to tie the game at 4-4. Sears was 2-for-4 with two runs.

Trinity starter Emma-Leigh Strock struggled with her control throughout the game, but found ways out of each pressure situation she faced with minimal damage. McAuley left eight runners on base.

“She’s very good at bearing down,” Osborne said of Strock. “If anything, she’s got grit.”

Monica Albano and Eichenold provided most of the offense for the Blazers. Albano hit a two-run homer over the left field fence in the fifth inning. In addition to the game-winning RBI, Eichenold had a two-run triple in the first inning.

“My freshman year we went to the championship and lost,” Albano said. “We’re really pumped to go back.”