Area’s finest collide

Second baseman Amanda Hart and the Marengo Indians face Prairie Ridge today in a sectional semifinal. The Indians beat the Wolves in their last game. (Northwest Herald File photo)

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Two of the area’s best softball teams will face one another today in an IHSA Class 3A Prairie Ridge Sectional, and both felt at some point that their seasons might come down to this one game.

Marengo prepared by facing some of the toughest competition coach Dwain Nance could pencil in this season; Prairie Ridge anticipated the matchup and rallied from a sluggish start to put together a 17-game winning streak after beginning the season 10-9.

Coincidentally, the Wolves’ winning streak began after they lost to the Indians during regular season play April 26.

That loss will either work to Prairie Ridge’s advantage, making the Wolves hungry for redemption, or Marengo will capitalize on what it already has seen and advance to the sectional final, scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday.

Today’s winner will face the winner of Thursday’s sectional semifinal between Antioch and Wauconda.

“We’re really looking forward to the game,” Nance said. “We’ve got to pitch well, we’ve got to hit well, and we’ve got to play really good defense.”

Prairie Ridge will have to be equally as vigilant.

Marengo (33-4) has hit the ball well this postseason and has yet to give up a run. The Indians have outscored their opponents, 20-0, and beat Belvidere and Freeport in six innings via the 10-run rule.

The Wolves (27-9) couldn’t have started the postseason much better. Senior Johanna Turner tossed a five-inning no-hitter against Marian Central during a Woodstock North Regional semifinal last week.

Prairie Ridge got down early to Richmond-Burton during the regional championship on Saturday, but bounced back to beat the Rockets, 12-7.

“We’ve been playing well,” Prairie Ridge coach Mike Buck said, “but we have to hit better this time. We had chances against Marengo last time with people in scoring position, but we didn’t get them in. It we’re going to beat them, we’ve got to put the ball in play.”

Today’s winner won’t face an easier matchup in the sectional final, either. Both teams have played Antioch and Wauconda – Marengo went 2-0 against both; the Wolves lost both contests.

“If you win this sectional, you’re a pretty good softball team,” Buck said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re in [Class] 3A or 4A, you’re still facing the top teams in the area when you’re at this point. You need a little luck, too. You need the ball to bounce your way sometimes.”

In Class 4A, Cary-Grove (30-6) will face Elgin (10-26) in the 4A Huntley Sectional semifinal at 4:30 p.m. today. The Trojans have not lost since April 28 and are on a 15-game winning streak and freshman pitcher Lindsay Efflandt threw a perfect game last week against Crystal Lake South in a 4A Cary-Grove Regional semifinal.

Jacobs (21-11) takes on Rockton Hononegah in the other 4A Huntley Sectional semifinal at 4:30 p.m. Thursday. The Golden Eagles beat Huntley on Saturday for the 4A Huntley Regional title and have outscored their opponents, 30-5, including a 24-2 victory against Dundee-Crown in a regional semifinal. Pitcher Marissa Lombardo, outfielder Sara Jacobson and shortstop Jenna Teson lead the Eagles.

Should both C-G and Jacobs advance to the sectional final at 11 a.m. Saturday, it will be the fourth meeting between the two teams this season. C-G leads the series, 2-1.