Goss: Softball, baseball sectionals offer plenty of intrigue

Sectional seeds are a nice starting point for analyzing the postseason, but you never know how accurate of a predictor they will be.

The regional softball championship games involving Joliet area schools last Saturday bore out the uncertainty.

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to cover a Minooka softball game against Plainfield North. The Indians lost that day, 3-0, as they were blanked for the second time this season by the Tigers' outstanding pitcher, Greta Thompson.

Minooka coach Mark Brown and I discussed his team's youth and how the Indians were growing into varsity players against a difficult schedule that featured the gauntlet of the Southwest Prairie Conference.

Last Saturday, Minooka pulled one of the state's major regional "upsets," knocking off No. 1 seed Lincoln-Way Central in the loaded Class 4A Joliet West Sectional. Minooka was an 8-9 seed, which got the Indians matched with the No. 1 seed in the regional final.

Minooka trailed, 2-0, late in the game but Sam Norman and Nicole Lovato delivered the hits to tie and eventually win it in eight innings, 3-2.

Just like that, a wonderful season for Lincoln-Way Central was over. In a loaded sectional with teams the caliber of Lincoln-Way East and Lockport, the Knights had earned the No. 1 seed.

Minooka's victory provides further evidence that the SPC was an outstanding softball conference this season. Minooka will meet Plainfield East in a sectional semifinal at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday at Joliet West. The two split two league games with Minooka winning 6-4 and East winning 3-1.

Then at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday at Joliet West, Lockport will face all-state pitcher Alex Storako in an attempt to break its 11-game losing streak against Lincoln-Way East. The sectional championship game is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday. If you feel anything can happen, join the club.

Plainfield North is alive and well and will tangle with Downers Grove South at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday at Oswego. Lemont is home for a Tuesday date with De La Salle.

Meanwhile, in Class 3A, the Tuesday semifinal doubleheader at Ottawa features Providence Catholic against Manteno at 5 p.m. and Joliet Catholic Academy against Oak Forest at 7. In a sectional divided into sub-sectionals, Providence ousted No. 2 Ottawa, JCA knocked out No. 1 Tinley Park and neither result was a fluke. The Celtics and Angels, both of whom faced strong competition all season, both are capable of winning the sectional.

Then there's baseball, which has semifinals scheduled Wednesday and Thursday.

The 4A Lockport Sectional will include only one area school, Lincoln-Way East, after Andrew beat Lockport, 6-3; Marist edged Lincoln-Way Central, 4-3, and Sandburg used a walkoff, two-run double to oust Providence, 8-7.

Providence's heart-breaking loss prevented the Celtics from an eighth straight regional title. That run had to run sometime, and from watching the Celtics through the years, you knew that when it did end, they would not go out without a fight.

The other 4A sectional with area interest is at Hinsdale South, where Plainfield Central will face No. 1 Neuqua Valley at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday and Plainfield North and Plainfield East will renew their rivalry Thursday. Any of the three Plainfield schools has a legitimate shot at winning the sectional. As in softball, the SPC was a strong baseball league this season.

In 3A baseball, signs point to a JCA versus Coal City showdown in the sectional final at Ottawa. But first, there's the Wednesday semifinal doubleheader, where the Hilltoppers will face Tinley Park at 5 p.m. and the Coalers test Illiana Christian at 7. As we have seen in softball and baseball, it never is wise to assume anything.

• Dick Goss can be reached at dgoss@shawmedia.com.