July 22, 2025
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Softball: Krista Sbarra's walk-off winner sends St. Charles East to state

Katie Arrambide strikes out eight, overcomes four Saints' errors in 3-2 supersectional win

By Joshua Welge

None of that mattered to her. "All I was looking for is, I don't care what pitch it is," Sbarra said, "I'm going to hit it." On the eighth pitch of the at-bat, the payoff came. Sbarra grounded the ball in the hole between shortstop and third. The throw to first skipped away. Chelsea Campagna sprinted home from second with the winning run, sending St. Charles East to state with a dramatic 3-2 win over Whitney Young in the Class 4A Rosemont Supersectional.

None of that mattered to her. "All I was looking for is, I don't care what pitch it is," Sbarra said, "I'm going to hit it." On the eighth pitch of the at-bat, the payoff came. Sbarra grounded the ball in the hole between shortstop and third. The throw to first skipped away. Chelsea Campagna sprinted home from second with the winning run, sending St. Charles East to state with a dramatic 3-2 win over Whitney Young in the Class 4A Rosemont Supersectional.

The Saints, back at state for the first time since taking second in 2013, play Joliet West at 3 p.m. Friday in East Peoria. It all sounds good to Sbarra, the Saints' spunky little leadoff hitter that refused to say no with the game on the line. "I just wanted to do whatever I could to get that last run," Sbarra said. "Our pitcher pitched so amazing. She didn't deserve to lose."

She sure didn't, and didn't. East sophomore pitcher Katie Arrambide overcame her defense's struggles throughout. The Saints (25-10) committed four errors, two of which led to Young's runs. Pop ups, any ball hit in play for that matter, seemed an adventure throughout. But Arrambide minimized the damage. In the top of the seventh, after Arrambide's throw to second on a comebacker glanced off the shortstop's glove into center to put runners at second and third, she coaxed a liner to the shortstop and then raced off the mound to snag a pop-up. "I totally had faith in my defense, and faith in myself," Arrambide said. "I know how much fight this team has."

She's also discovered her own way to cope with the anxiety. "I talk to myself a lot; I don't know if that's weird for a 16-year-old, but I talk to myself, just a lot of reasurrance to make sure that I don't have pessimistic thoughts after I throw the next pitch," said Arrambide, who struck out eight and allowed just four hits. "I'm doing a really good job this year of not throwing the ball until I am really confident in myself." In the bottom of the seventh, after two quick outs, Campagna and Kati Gheorghe walked to set the stage for Sbarra.

She fell behind 0-2, took a ball, fouled a pitch down the first-base line and just got a piece of two shoulder-high rise balls in between a second ball. "Top half of the ball and get it on the ground," Sbarra said she was thinking. "No pop-ups. If it's on the ground, we're more than likely to score." It's the determination that East coach Jarod Gutesha has come to expect from his little leadoff hitter. "Great battle from a senior that wants it so dang bad," Gutesha said. "I've known her since she was a little kid going to camp. To see her be successful when she wants it so bad is awesome."

Campagna, who had a good view of the at bat from second base, couldn't agree more. "I was rooting for her all the way from second base," said Campagna, another sophomore. "My emotions are running everywhere right now." Young scored first, in the third inning, with help. A pop-up dropped between the East shortstop and left fielder for a single, and the runner scored from first on a throwing error on a bunt. East went ahead 2-1 in the fourth. Arrambide walked, Maddy Stout doubled in the tying run and Lauren Luna lined a two-out single to score Stout.

It remained that way until the sixth, when a Young pop-up was dropped in short center field, the throw back into third hit the runner and went out of play – allowing the tying run to come in. "We did not play great defense behind Katie. That's simple, anybody here could see that," Gutesha said, "but she battled and made it happen for us and kept grinding. There was no letdown from her." Just don't ask Arrambide how it feels to be going to state. "I don't know. We have not done this since 2013, and I have never done it," Arrambide said with a smile. "It's just so weird. Every game your heart races exponentially."

St. Charles East shortstop Kati Gheorghe attempts to throw out a runner headed for third base during the IHSA class 4A supersectional against Whitney Young at Parkway Bank Sports Complex in Rosemont on Monday, June 3. The Saints won 3-2.

A fan in the right field bleachers sorts through winter clothing during the IHSA class 4A supersectional at Parkway Bank Sports Complex in Rosemont between St. Charles East and Whitney Young on Monday, June 3. The Saints won 3-2.

St. Charles East's Katie Arrambide delivers a pitch during the IHSA class 4A supersectional against Whitney Young at Parkway Bank Sports Complex in Rosemont on Monday, June 3. The Saints won 3-2.

St. Charles East catcher Paige Ligocki tags out Whitney Young's Brianna Nykaza at home plate during the IHSA class 4A supersectional at Parkway Bank Sports Complex in Rosemont on Monday, June 3. The Saints won 3-2.

St. Charles East's Kayla Richardson sits on second base after stealing it while her helmet bounces toward left field during the IHSA class 4A supersectional against Whitney Young at Parkway Bank Sports Complex in Rosemont on Monday, June 3. The Saints won 3-2.

St. Charles East's Alex Wooten watch her fly ball sail out of play during the IHSA class 4A supersectional against Whitney Young at Parkway Bank Sports Complex in Rosemont on Monday, June 3. The Saints won 3-2.

St. Charles East's Katie Arrambide delivers a pitch during the IHSA class 4A supersectional against Whitney Young at Parkway Bank Sports Complex in Rosemont on Monday, June 3. The Saints won 3-2.

St. Charles East first baseman Lauren Luna is ready for action during the IHSA class 4A supersectional against Whitney Young at Parkway Bank Sports Complex in Rosemont on Monday, June 3. The Saints won 3-2.

The IHSA class 4A supersectional at Parkway Bank Sports Complex in Rosemont between St. Charles East and Whitney Young heads into the bottom of the 7th inning tied at two on Monday, June 3. The Saints won 3-2.