Porters tip Stagg in 10 innings

Carli Raisutis (left) of Stagg slides in safe to home plate behind Lockport catcher Samantha Stanicek.
(Art Vassy/SouthtownStar)

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In a game that had just about everything, No. 6 Lockport edged No. 13 Stagg 5-4 in 10 innings Thursday afternoon in Palos Hills.

With the victory Lockport (25-6, 11-2) clinched a share of the SouthWest Suburban Blue title with Sandburg, which was a 6-3 winner over Bolingbrook. It's the first conference crown for the Porters since 2004, the same year they won the Class AA state championship.

"It's been a long time, but our team played great all year," Lockport coach Marissa Chovanec said. "(Thursday,) we stayed composed, got the job done and got a share of the title."

Lockport took a 4-1 lead by scoring three unearned runs on three errors in the top of the fifth inning. But Stagg (22-7, 8-5) came back with three runs on five hits in the bottom of the sixth to tie it.

With two outs and a runner at third in the eighth, the Chargers looked poised to win the game. But Emily Cikowski's game-winning hit bid was foiled by a diving catch by shortstop Amanda Stanton.

"I don't know how it happened, my body was there and I just went for it," Stanton said. "I couldn't let it hit the ground. I trust all my teammates to make the plays, so I have to do my part too."

With one out in the 10th, Katelyn Braget (2-for-4, RBI) singled to right. Pinch runner Morgan Kramerich then advanced to second on a passed ball and third on a ground out. Brittaney Gonsoulin (2-for-5) hit a grounder to short that was booted and Kramerich crossed the plate for the go-ahead run.

Junior lefty Alyssa Vorel (8-1) got the win by hurling the final 4 1/3 innings in relief. She allowed three hits, walked none and stuck out six. She retired the final nine Charger batters in a row - including the final two on strikeouts.

"It was like a roller coaster out there, but it didn't bring us down," Vorel said. "We stayed tough and battled through it. We're all really excited to be part of a conference champion."

Megan Jones gave Lockport a 1-0 lead with a two-out RBI pinch-hit single in the fourth. Rebecca Baltikas added two hits for the Porters.

Led by three hits from freshman shortstop Faith Johnson, Stagg finished with 14 hits. Cikowski, Carli Raisutis, Liz Payonk and Jessica Roubik each added two hits for the Chargers.

"I can't be too disappointed," Stagg coach Jen Tyrrell said. "We hit the ball well and made a great comeback. It was a great game."