Plainfield South overcomes 3-run deficit to top Joliet West in Class 4A regional softball

JOLIET – It wasn’t the start the Plainfield South softball team was hoping for Wednesday against Joliet West in a Class 4A Joliet West Regional semifinal, but the ending was much more to the Cougars’ liking in a 6-4 win that boosted them to Friday’s championship game against Lincoln-Way East.

Despite playing on their home field, the Tigers, seeded 12th, were the visiting team against the No. 7 Cougars. In the top of the first, West got started right away.

Caitlin Jadron led off with an infield single, then Hope Hughes drew a walk. Ella Featherston grounded into a fielder’s choice, with Jadron forced out at third. Madi Woods followed with a double down the right field line to score Hughes and Featherston, and Alaina Grohar singled to score Woods for a 3-0 lead.

Plainfield South, however, paid little heed to the early deficit and responded with three runs in the bottom of the first to tie it. A double by Ava Forsberg scored Kendal Pasquale and Regina Glover (2 for 2), and a single by Gracie Semega scored Forsberg, who was 2 for 4 with a double, three RBIs and two runs scored.

“We always try to get at least a run every inning, so we just thought of it as a normal game,” Forsberg said. “We had a lot of energy in the dugout, and when we got those three in the bottom of the first, it was a 0-0 game and we could start fresh. We knew their pitchers pretty well. This is the third time we have played them this year, and we had seen their pitchers. We did a good job of waiting until we got a good pitch to hit.

“[Pitcher] Hailie [Boardman] did a great job after the first inning. That’s the type of player she is. She doesn’t let anything get her down and goes out and does her job. She’s a great teammate. All of us know our roles, and nobody tries to do too much. We did a real good job of communicating on the field today, and that helped a lot.”

The Cougars (18-15) got another run in the second to take a 4-3 lead when Forsberg singled in Glover, who had walked and reached second on a passed ball.

The Tigers (8-22) tied it at 4 in the top of the third when, with two outs, Grohar, Gabi Juarez and Madison Jadron singled, with Jadron’s hit driving home Grohar. That was all the scoring for West, however, as Boardman gave up just three hits the rest of the way.

Plainfield South, coached by Taylor Schwall, a member of the Tigers’ 2019 4A third-place team, took the lead for good in the bottom of the fourth. Gianna Zumdahl led off with her second hit of the game and was doubled home by Pasquale. The Cougars added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth when Forsberg, who reached on a fielder’s choice, scored on a single by Boardman that got past the center fielder and rolled to the fence.

“This game just shows how much heart these girls have,” Schwall said. “They got behind 3-0, then came right back and tied it. We just said, ‘OK, we have six innings left. Let’s go win those.’ It’s the way our team has been all year. Anyone, 1-9 in the lineup, could have a big day for us. They go up there and just try to get hits and move the runners along. We also have a lot of trust in our defense. Our pitchers know they can throw strikes because we going to field the ball and not give the other team extra bases.

“It’s a little bittersweet coming here. I went to school here and was a senior the year we got third in state. It’s hard to see the Tigers lose, but Plainfield South is my school now and I love this program and these girls.”

Joliet West coach Heather Suca was happy with her team’s season, despite the final record.

“We couldn’t have asked for a better start today,” she said. “We just couldn’t keep it going. We had a pretty rough record, especially early in the season, but these girls never quit. They came ready to play every day, and that’s all you can ask as a coach.

“We had a lot of young players get a lot of experience this year, and they got better. We were playing our best at regional time, and that’s what you want.”