RICHMOND– Antioch senior starting pitcher Olivia Duehr teetered on the brink of disaster early in the Sequoits' IHSA Class 3A regional softball title game against Lakes.
But it wasn't how she started the game that mattered. It was how she and her teammates rallied for a 4-3 victory – and the school's third consecutive regional championship – that left a lasting impression.
Duehr uncharacteristically allowed six of the Eagles' first seven batters to reach base in the top of the first inning, which included two hits, an error and three walks. It gave Lakes the momentum of a runaway freight train, and worse yet for Antioch, a 3-0 Eagles lead.
"Those were my runs [that I gave up] and I'm gonna take credit for it, because that's my fault that they got three runs," Duehr said. "It's no one else's fault on this team."
It could have been worse. Antioch left fielder Sam Kozenski made the defensive play of the game when she robbed Lakes pitcher Shannon Cooley of a sure three-run homer in the same inning. Kozenski leaned over the fence and pulled Cooley's towering fly ball back into play, sparing the Sequoits from further damage.
Antioch quickly got one of those runs back in the bottom of the first, thanks to Duehr's RBI single to right-center, following a sacrifice bunt by Katie Keefe, cutting the deficit to 3-1.
When Duehr returned to the mound to start the second inning, her performance was nothing short of stellar. After a nightmarish first inning, Duehr retired the next 14 Lakes batters she faced, yielded only two hits over the next 6 2/3 innings – and for good measure – struck out 12 of the ensuing 23 Eagles hitters she faced.
Duehr's experience during Antioch's run to a Class 3A third place finish in the entire state a season ago made all the difference, Sequoits' coach Jeff Tylka said.
"I think [Olivia's past experience] was huge today," Tylka said. "She's been in so many big games, as all of our seniors have. When I went out to talk to her during her rough start in the first inning, there was no panic."
In fact, Duehr could been seen smiling and laughing as her coach, and eight of her teammates, huddled around her. Despite the team's renewed optimism, Antioch still trailed, 3-1, until the bottom of the fifth.
In the fifth, the middle of the Sequoits' order found a way to contribute, as they have most of the season. After a hustle infield single by Duehr with one out, senior catcher and cleanup hitter Amber Mysliwiec (2 for 4, run scored) blooped a single of her own to center field.
After a wild pitch advanced Mysliwiec and Duehr to second and third, respectively, Katie Phillips ripped a two-RBI single up the middle, tying the game, 3-3. Suddenly, Antioch's bench sprung to life.
"I think Amber [Mysliwiec] is probably having the best offensive season in Antioch school history," Tylka said. "She's hitting over .500 and has nine home runs and 48 RBIs."
Lakes had runners at first and second following singles by Sara Braden and Lindsay Meverden – and a chance to take the lead – with one out in the top of the sixth. But Duehr struck out the next two Eagles batters to end the threat.
In the bottom of the sixth, Antioch again used small-ball to take the lead for good. For the second time in the game, leadoff hitter Jessie Liszka drew a leadoff walk, followed by a sacrifice bunt by Keefe. With Keefe in scoring position at second, Duehr blooped a single to right field, just out of the reach of Eagles' second baseman Braden.
After Braden's throw to first was to late to get Duehr, Liszka rounded third and kept going. Liszka slid just out of the reach of the tag by Lakes catcher Meghan Milewski, to score what wound up being the game-winning run.
It was a disappointing end to a Lakes season that saw the Eagles finish with a 20-12 overall record. But the future looks extremely bright for Lakes, who only had two seniors on a roster that could be a team to beat in Lake County a year from now.
"It's a game of inches," Lakes coach Bill Hamill said. "I shifted our second baseman over three steps to her right on [Duehr's] game-winning blooper, and the ball falls right where she would've been if I hadn't moved her.
"We also had a chance in the sixth inning, and we hit a ball down the left field line with two runners on that was only foul by two feet," Hamill added. "If that ball falls, we're ahead. I'm really looking forward to next season, because we have a young team. And our young players are also solid."
Antioch will play the Marengo Indians in a Class 3A Sectional semifinal at Grayslake Central High School, at 4 p.m., Thursday, June 2.
Grayslake North faces Vernon Hills in the other Grayslake Central Sectional semifinal on June 1, also at 4 p.m.
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