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La Salle-Peru takes down Oak Forest
Updated: June 6, 2011 10:26PM
After pitching Oak Forest to the state softball title as a sophomore, Emily Norton hoped to get her team back downstate.
But, despite only giving up two hits, another state trip wasn’t to be for Norton and the Bengals. La Salle-Peru pitcher Ashley Smith stymied Oak Forest with a 1-0 shutout at the 3A Illinois State Supersectional in Normal.
The Cavaliers (24-6), who won their first ever sectional title last Saturday, will play the winner of Elmwood Park - Glenbard South in the semifinals at 9:30 a.m. on Friday at EastSide Centre in East Peoria.
Oak Forest, which lost in the supersectional for the second straight season, finishes at 30-5.
“It’s definitely a bummer,” Norton said. “We got our hits, they just went right to their girls.”
On the other side, Smith was excited.
“It feels awesome, the junior right-hander said. “We just wanted to mix the pitches up. My curve ball was working and my defense was behind me.”
Smith (19-5) threw a four-hitter, while walking none and striking out two. Her defense played error free ball.
So did the Bengals, but the sun played a big factor in La Salle Peru’s run in the top of the fifth. Jennie Laio led off the inning by looping a first-pitch single over third for her teams first hit.
She was sacrificed to second and Norton came back with a strikeout for out number two. Tylyn Chapman then skied a fly to left, but Bengal left fielder Ashley Benninger - who had her sunglasses on, lost the ball and it went just over her glove for an RBI double.
“Emily pitched a heck of a game and I know they ruled that (double) a hit, but in my view it was a one-hitter,” Oak Forest coach Paige Stryczek said. “We’ve only been blanked one other time this season (a 1-0 loss to Richards on March 29) and their pitcher was good.
“But I think we wanted it so bad that we went up there trying to make it happen, rather than letting it happen.”
Norton (21-5) retired 12 of the first 13 and the final seven, but the one inning was all it took. The senior righty walked one and struck out six.
The Bengals best scoring chance was in the sixth. With two outs, Samantha Bal and Emily Missaggia had back-to-back singles to put runners at first and second. Norton then ripped the first pitch right at Smith, who reached up and grabbed it to end the inning.
“I just reacted, I guess,” said Smith, who retired the side in order on five pitches in the seventh. “I just didn’t want them to score, so I put my glove up and tried to stop it.”
“By the time I saw where the ball was it was already in her mitt,” said Norton of the liner. “We all came in with a good attitude, unfortunately it just wasn’t our day.”
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