Sophomore Kyleena Nowinski began the Fenwick softball season on the junior varsity and then became a dual-roster player before moving to varsity.

On Monday, Nowinski helped the Friars move on to the Class 3A state tournament.

Her walkoff single to center field scored senior Sophia Leonardi in the bottom of the 12th inning as the Friars won a 4-3 marathon over Lemont at the Benedictine University Supersectional.

“I was like, ‘I just need to hit a ground ball and then she’ll score.’ I’ve had a few hits but that was definitely the most memorable one,” said Nowinski, the Friars’ leadoff hitter and designated player.

“It’s great because I wasn’t even originally on varsity. Doing that and helping the varsity team go to state is just insane for me.”

Fenwick (22-11) plays in the state semifinals at 12:15 p.m. Friday in Peoria against defending champion Glenwood.

This is the Friars’ first downstate appearance since finishing third in 2024. Five players remain from that team who played in the third-place game or semifinal, but Leonardi and Gianna Pescatore are the lone seniors among that group and among just four seniors on the roster.

Leonardi scored the winning run after just beating out an infield bunt and advancing to second on Ayanna Bourn’s sacrifice.

“The team, the energy that we bring in high-pressure situations, I’m just so excited to go again (to state),” Leonardi said. “It felt amazing (to score). The thrill coming through my veins. I don’t even have any other words for it.”

The Friars appeared on their way to victory in the bottom of the sixth when the second of two home runs by catcher Hailey Smith-Young, a two-run shot after Alex Purta reached on an error, put them ahead 3-2.

Down to its last out in the seventh, Lemont (28-10) tied the game 3-3 with a triple to dead center by leadoff hitter Jessica Pontrelli after Elisa Cicci singled with one out.

“It was intense. But (our players) pulled through and that’s all that really matters,” Fenwick coach Valerie Jisa said.

“For the 12 innings, I was like, ‘We can’t stop now. We’ve gone this far. We’ve got to keep at it.’ I can’t believe we won again. I knew we could do it but I’m a slow processor.”

Smith-Young now has a team-best 12 homers. After the second homer, she was intentionally walked her last two at-bats, which put runners on second and first with one out in the 11th. Lemont pitcher Mila Mardjetko got an infield popout and fly out to end the threat.

In the top of the 11th, Lemont got back-to-back singles with two outs but winning pitcher Sofia Kateeb used one of her 15 strikeouts to end the inning. Kateeb ended the 1-2-3 12th with a strikeout.

“It was really nervewracking and honestly the team played great. Those (homers) felt really good,” Smith-Young said. “Sofia pitched amazing. I’m really proud of her. She hit her spots, was hitting corners.”

Lemont No. 3 hitter Claire Podrebarac had her team-high 55th RBI in the third with a single following an infield throwing error. Lemont answered Smith-Young’s fourth-inning homer with a run in the sixth as Podrebarac hit a leadoff triple and scored on a passed ball.

Lemont was hoping to return downstate for the first time since back-to-back state titles in 2022-23. This was the final game for retiring coach Chris Traina, who has coached the last 26 years and been head coach since 2007 after a previous stint at Lemont in 1992-93.

“It being my last game, I’m proud to walk away with this kind of a game. I’ve been very blessed,” Traina said.

“The younger kids are coming here realizing we’ve got some standards. You’ve got to work your tail off, but we had fun, too. We’ve got great kids. They’re willing to work, do whatever’s asked of them.”