LHS Softball Captures State Championship Win

LEMONT, IL — Making the program’s fifth state finals appearance – and its second in as many years – head coach Chris Traina’s team topped St. Ignatius, 1-0, to win the 2022 IHSA Class 3A Softball State Championship, which was contested at Peoria’s Louisville Slugger Sports Complex on June 10, according to a release from the high school.

Junior Sage Mardjetko fanned 13 while tossing her 11th no-hitter of the season, which also was the first no-hitter in an IHSA state title game since 1999, the school said. Lemont finished the season with a 34-6 record, setting a single-season school record for wins.

Lemont scored the lone run of the game in the third inning when freshman Maya Hollendoner reached on an error, stole second, and ran home when the catcher’s throw went all the way to the center field wall, the school said.

Mardjetko retired the first 13 batters and allowed just two base runners on an error and a walk, according to the school. She struck out the final four hitters. She recorded her 21st double-digit strikeout game in 22 starts, and finished the season with a 21-1 record and a 0.29 ERA, with 329 strikeouts in 142.2 innings.

Lemont previously finished as the state runner-up in 1988 (Class A) and 2021 (Class 3A). It also placed third in 1989 (Class A), and qualified for the 1985 Class A State Finals, the school said.

Softball is the fourth Lemont High School athletic program to win a team state championship, joining baseball (IHSA Class 3A State Champions in 2014 and 2016), cheerleading (IHSA Medium Division State Champions in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2017 and 2018), and wrestling (IHSA Class 2A Dual Team State Champions in 2020).