Softball: Downers South Outlasts Neuqua Valley for Regional Title

Downers Grove South had an answer for everything.

The host Mustangs twice rallied from early one-run deficits and used solid hitting and outstanding defense to knock off Neuqua Valley 11-7 to win the Class 4A Downers Grove South Regional championship on Saturday.

The win advances Downers South (27-6) to the Oswego East Sectional semifinals, where the Mustangs will take on Naperville Central at 4:30 p.m. Thursday.

“We hit the ball well and we needed it,” Downers South coach Ron Havelka said. “We needed every one of those runs as it turns out. (The Wildcats) have a really good hitting team, at least they did today.”

The two sides combined for 23 hits, 12 by the Mustangs, whose hits proved to be timelier.

The Wildcats (19-10) took a 1-0 lead in the first before the Mustangs scored three times in the bottom of the second thanks to three walks, two wild pitches and RBI singles from Marissa Mersch and Danielle Trezzo. Neuqua Valley coach Melissa Wilson pulled starting pitcher Jena Boudreau during that frame after the senior was called for six illegal pitches.

“They were saying she was dragging her foot and before she dragged it she was hopping over the little mound she was creating,” Wilson said. “I’m not going to argue with the umpires. Obviously, that was the worst thing that could happen to us at that point in time when we were ahead. I thought we had control of the game, but that’s happened all season. People are out to get us with that.”

But the Wildcats retook the lead with three runs in the third. Boudreau and Leigh Nebendahl walked, Brooke Meyer hit a run-scoring double to center and Sarah Gronowski rapped a two-out single to center to put the visitors ahead 4-3.

The Mustangs responded by scoring four times in their half of the third. Mersch’s two-out, bases-loaded double put Downers South ahead to stay and a wild pitch plated another run.

For Mersch it was the 249^th hit of her career, moving her to within three of the state record for career hits. But the Wisconsin recruit was happier with her three RBI, which gave her a team-leading 42 this season out of the lead-off spot

“Obviously, the bases-loaded hit (meant more) because it’s a team effort and we can’t do it with one person,” Mersch said. “I’m not going to be selfish about anything. I do it for the team and not myself.”

“I’m just taking it game-by-game and whatever happens (regarding the record), happens. Everyone else is doing well so I guess that’s helping.”

Indeed, seven Mustangs had at least one hit, with Aleisha Bozek getting three and Mersch, Chelsea Lavin and Jackie Tonoff two each.

Lavin, who was 2-for-2 with three runs scored, drove in two runs in the fifth with a double that one-hopped the left field fence, while Tonoff followed with a run-scoring triple to extend the lead to 10-4.

Lavin, a senior who will play softball and tennis at Augustana next year, also snagged three line drives to left by Gronowski, including a sensational running catch in foul territory with two on and no outs in the fifth.

“I know before the game our coaches told us to give it our all,” Lavin said. “You dive for everything and as soon as that was hit I just said to myself, ‘I’m going to get this ball,’ and I just ran as hard as I could.”

“That was a huge play,” Havelka said. “(Lavin) has improved unbelievably. She’s a great defensive player. We can play her anywhere. She’s probably the best overall athlete on the whole team.”

Neuqua made one last rally, pulling within 10-7 on Nebendahl’s three-run homer in the sixth.

“We were just hoping to get out of that inning with Nebendahl making an out and she hits a three-run homer,” Havelka said. “That doesn’t surprise me because she’s a good hitter. They’ve got a really scrappy team.”

But the Wildcats could get no closer as Bozek (13-3) got the win in relief, giving up four runs and nine hits in 4 2/3 innings but retiring six of the last seven batters she faced.

“Something that I’m always proud of our team (for) is we always fight to the end,” Wilson said. “With nine seniors graduating I’m trying to find the right words to say. I’m so proud of them because they never gave up.”