Softball: Sophie Stone, Fenwick defeat Nazareth to reach state

LISLE – Senior pitcher Sophie Stone recorded one of her biggest strikeouts in four varsity seasons with the Fenwick softball team June 1 in the pouring rain.

In much warmer temperatures June 3, Stone faced greater stress in the Class 3A Benedictine University Supersectional against Nazareth Academy.

“It was a lot of energy. It was a lot of fun,” Stone said. “When I got past the terrifying [thoughts] that we might lose, then it was fun.”

The Friars prevailed 2-1 for the program’s first downstate berth since 1998 and only second state appearance.

Fenwick (17-9) plays Pontiac (29-7) in the 3A state semifinals at 10 a.m. Friday in Peoria.

Stone allowed seven hits with five strikeouts and three walks. She stranded four runners in scoring position.

“The game pressure and how much it mattered to me, I’ve never made state before so definitely this is at the top,” said Stone, a Berwyn resident.

“We’ve come so close every year and then gotten knocked out in the same sectional semifinals (twice). And also with all of the seniors, this was it. This was our last chance and just to have done it is super gratifying.”

The Friars won regionals the past two seasons but lost in the sectional semifinals. When Stone, third baseman Maddie Entler and courtesy runner Ellie Kolb were freshmen on varsity, the Friars won only two games.

“[This game] could have gone either way the whole time,” said first-year Fenwick coach Valerie Jisa, an assistant last season. “This is crazy. I’m so proud of these girls. I keep calling them the Little Engine that Could.”

Fenwick and Nazareth (16-20) both scored in the first inning. The Friars took the lead for good when junior Kailey Janda hit her first home run of the season with two outs in the fourth.

Janda planned to take the SAT on Saturday morning and play in the 11 a.m. Glenbard South Sectional final against Elmwood Park. When the game was moved to 9 a.m. in hopes of beating the rain, Janda missed the Friars’ 5-3 victory. The game was called because of rain after six innings. The game ended with Stone getting a bases-loaded strikeout.

“We told her since she missed that game she had to bring it today and she did,” Entler said.

Fenwick scraped for offense against Nazareth junior pitcher Annabella Rychetsky, who struck out 11 with no walks while allowing six hits.

The Friars’ Gabriella Simon led off the first by reaching on an error and scored when Bella Bingham followed with a double to left-center. Stone and Entler also doubled in the game.

In the Nazareth first, leadoff hitter Kennedy Joe doubled and scored on a wild pitch. The Roadrunners had runners reach second with two outs in three of the last five innings.

“We played a real solid game all around. They just maximized on the little mistakes that we made,” Nazareth coach Vicki Sobol said. “We knew it was going to be a really competitive game. [Stone] really executes the pitch well. We hit the ball hard but unfortunately couldn’t punch through enough base hits to string together and score.”

In the second, Nazareth first baseman Dominique Chlada threw out a runner trying to score from third after Caitlin Barganski beat out an infield grounder. In the Roadrunners’ half of the inning, a runner who went to third on a sacrifice fly was called out for tagging early.

In the seventh, Nazareth’s No. 9 hitter Morgan Kwak had a leadoff single. Stone got Joy to fly out and caught a bunt attempt and threw to first base for a game-ending double play.

“[Joy] is a good hitter. It’s loud and there’s a lot of pressure. People are screaming,” Stone said. “Then that first girl got out and it was like, ‘Maybe this is it.’ It’s just kind of that mentality either we win or lose here.”

The Roadrunners graduate five starters. They were vying for their second downstate trip and first since 2017, also the year of their last sectional title.

“We’ve taken the lessons that the seniors have given us and we’re going to implement them really well next year,” Rychetsky said.