Prepared for anything

By MAUREEN LYNCH - mlynch@nwherald.com

Marengo varsity softball players sing “On Marengo” after beating Grayslake North, 7-0, on Saturday during the IHSA Class 3A Grayslake Central Sectional final. Marengo (31-9) will play Bethalto Civic Memorial (30-5) in the state tournament semifinals at noon today in East Peoria. (Candace H. Johnson - Shaw Suburban Media)

E-mail this story

Print this story

Sometimes the pitches are about 52 or 53 mph, just painting the corners and hanging out there daring batters to swing.

On other days, Bethalto Civic Memorial softball pitcher Kayla Kirkpatrick is throwing heat, hitting the low 60s on the gun with plenty of movement to go with the velocity.

Kirkpatrick has a rise ball and a changeup, and both are familiar to Marengo’s hitters.

But at noon today, those pitches will come on the state’s biggest stage as the Indians face Civic Memorial, and likely Kirkpatrick, in an IHSA Class 3A Softball State Tournament semifinal at the EastSide Centre in East Peoria.

It makes focusing on hitting offspeed pitching and preparing for anything that much more important. Otherwise, the Eagles and Kirkpatrick could play for the state title the Indians covet so much.

“The key will just be to put the ball in play early,” Marengo coach Dwain Nance said. “She’s a good pitcher, and we’ve got to make sure she doesn’t get into a rhythm.”

In their second appearance in the state semifinals in four seasons, the Indians (31-9) are prepared for anything.

Their non-conference schedule featured juggernauts such as Glenbard South – which plays LaSalle-Peru in the other semifinal at 9:30 a.m. today – Cary-Grove, Oak Forest, Elmwood Park, Antioch, Elk Grove and Morrison.

Nevertheless, Kirkpatrick brings a 0.79 ERA into the semifinal and a 20-2 record. She has 188 strikeouts in 159 innings of work and has given up 24 runs, 18 of which were earned.

She will face a pitcher on a roll of her own.

Marengo senior Chloe Montgomery has evolved from a solid southpaw to a dominant pitcher in her 30 starts this season. She is 24-6 and has 216 strikeouts in 182 innings. She has allowed 42 earned runs and has a 1.62 ERA.

That today is a state semifinal and the biggest game of her career hasn’t altered Montgomery’s approach.

“It’s a softball game; we’ve played 40 of them,” Montgomery said. “Sure, it’s a bigger stage, but it’s just about the next out, the next batter, the next inning and the next pitch. That’s how we’ll stay focused.”

Nance knows the Eagles (30-5) are a strong offensive team – they have three hitters batting over .400 – but the Indians have been hot since the middle of the season and clutch in the postseason.

Senior second baseman Lauren Roudabush is batting .519, Montgomery is batting .420 and junior right fielder Reed Karsten is batting .457.

Freshman first baseman Abby Kissack (.360), junior utility player Larissa Pfeiffer (.384), sophomore left fielder Megan Semro (.370) sophomore third baseman Stephanie Cartwright (.342), senior center fielder Alysa Grude (.324) and freshman catcher Taylor Carlson (.276) round out the Indians’ lineup. Sophomore Shae Karsten (.250) plays shortstop, but typically does not bat.

All the talent coupled with the Indians’ desire has created a lot of confidence, Grude said.

“Some people have been telling us that it’s cool just to go down to state, but we’re there to win it,” she said. “We have the mentality that it won’t be enough to do anything but win a state championship.”

Directions

Directions from Marengo to the IHSA Softball State Tournament at EastSide Centre in East Peoria:

1. Take US-20 West 20 miles and merge onto the US-20/US-51/I-39 ramp toward Freeport/Bloomington.

2. Merge onto I-39 South/US-20 West/US-51 South.

3. Take the exit onto IL-39/US-51 South toward Bloomington-Normal. Follow for 78.1 miles.

4. Take the exit toward IL-18 W/North 13th Road. Turn right on IL-18 and follow for 14.2 miles.