Lockport falls in IHSA Class 4A third-place game to Oak Park-River Forest, 6-5

PEORIA – Only eight softball teams can end their season with a victory: The four who win the state title game, and the four who win the third-place game.

Lockport hoped to be in the latter group on Saturday at Louisville Slugger Sports Complex with a Class 4A third-place game victory over Oak Park-River Forest. Unfortunately for the Porters, the Huskies ended the season on a happy note.

Trailing by three runs entering the sixth inning, OPRF exploded to pull ahead and hold on for the 6-5 win. The Huskies finished the season in third place in Class 4A while the Porters had to settle for fourth.

Lockport (31-11) still had plenty to be proud of on the season. After starting the year 8-8, they went 23-1 up until Friday, advancing to the state tournament for the first time in 21 years. They took Barrington to extra innings in the state semifinals before falling by one Saturday.

“It was a fantastic year,” coach Marissa Chovanec said. “I’m super proud of the kids. We climbed a mountain to get here. It was a really, really tough road. ... Just being here at this stage at the end of the year is a testament to each one of them and their efforts.”

Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the second, the Porters put up three runs thanks in large part to a pair of errors by the Huskies.

Julia Mattiace scored Maura Carmody cut it to 3-2 in the top of the third on a single, but the Porters got some serious insurance in the bottom of the fifth.

Taylor Lane smacked a leadoff triple and then scored on a fielder’s choice to increase the lead to two. Noelle Sustersic later scored on a single by Marie Baranowski to make it 5-2.

It turned out not to be enough. The Huskies put up three consecutive singles in the top of the sixth, the third one by Sofia Ayala to score Leia Hammerschmidt and trim the deficit to two.

With two outs and the bases loaded, Mattiace came up huge with a three-run double to give OPRF a 6-5 lead and ultimately the third-place trophy.

Mattiace, an MIT commit, finished the game 2 for 4 with five RBIs.

“This feels amazing,” Mattiace said. “I’m so proud of this team and everything they accomplished. We worked together all throughout the season to make this happen and we deserve this.”

In six postseason games before Saturday, McGraw did not give up an earned run. While she surrendered five Saturday, she finished her final prep season with a record of 20-8, an ERA of 1.59 and 279 strikeouts. The Colgate commit was grateful for the trip to Peoria regardless of the final result

“I’m just really happy we were able to come down here,” McGraw said. “We have such a great team and our bond was really special. To get to play two more games together was really great.”

For OPRF (30-9), it was an outstanding season. After losing to Lockport 16-4 earlier in the year, ending with a comeback victory over the Porters tasted just a bit sweeter.

“Lockport kicked our butt earlier in the year,” coach JP Coughlin said. “If Marissa’s not the best coach in the state she’s definitely up there. We could’ve beaten them in the regular season and I would’ve been ecstatic. To do it here just makes it so much more special for our girls.”

The Porters will graduate eight seniors, five of whom were full-time starters. Liliana Janeczko will head on to play Division I softball at Western Michigan. Mikayla Cvitanovich, Marie Baranowski, Leah McElligott and Rheanna Slavice will all continue their softball careers at the next level too.

Janeczko expressed gratitude for her time as a Porter.

“(Being a Porter) has meant everything to me,” she said. “I’ve played here four years now and I can’t believe it’s over. I’m just so grateful to even have been able to play with some of my best friends I’ve known since I was 10 years old.”

There are plenty of young players that Lockport will be able to build around.

Bridget Faut, a junior, had a 1.74 ERA with 119 Ks in 88⅓ innings this year and should be a solid fill-in for McGraw. Addison Way (.330, 33 runs), Lane (.436, 27 RBIs) and Alexis VanderTuuk (33 hits, 13 RBIs) will all be back next season, too.

“I think we have a good future,” Lane said. “We have a lot of people who are ready to step up and I think we can make it back here next year again.”