Joliet Catholic falls short in state championship game

PEORIA – The Joliet Catholic Academy softball team went down swinging.

An outstanding season for the Angels came up a win short of a state championship as they lost, 4-0, to Rockridge in the Class 2A title game Wednesday evening at the Louisville Slugger Complex.

Still, making their first state finals appearance in 33 years, the Angels (23-9) proved they belonged.

“Top to bottom, first inning until last inning, we never stopped believing,” JCA coach Tina Kinsella said. “I can’t ask anything more of these girls. We put the ball in play. We just hit it at them.”

Rockridge (29-0) finished as the first undefeated IHSA state champion since 2013 and the 10th overall.

It was the third title for the Rockets, who have had a lot of state success over the years. This was their ninth state finals appearance, and fourth in the past five seasons. They placed third in 2016, won the championship in 2018, and were third in 2019. All of those in Class 2A. They also won a Class A title in 2005.

JCA had six hits off freshman ace Kendra Lewis (17-0, 5 strikeouts, no walks) but never had more than one runner on in an inning.

Freshman third baseman Wrigley Fanter and sophomore shortstop Mack Brow both had two hits for the Angels. In fact, Fanter found her way for five hits on the day, going 3 for 4 in the semifinal.

“I felt it was good and that we all came together,” Fanter said of the Angels’ hitting attack. “We had hard-hit balls, unfortunately right at them.

“We have a lot of potential coming up, a lot of new Angels. It was a big family group this year (three sets of sisters on the team) and I was blessed to play with my (junior) sister (Phoenix). That was very special and a great feeling.”

The Rockets got on the board with a pair of runs in the second. Junior catcher Bailey Bognar bashed an RBI single to left and went to third on an errant throw. She scored when sophomore left fielder Kori Needham laid down a squeeze bunt that she beat out for a single.

Payton Brown, a sophomore second baseman, went 3 for 3 for Rockridge. She had an RBI single in the third and an RBI double in the fifth. Lewis helped herself with two hits and two runs scored.

After firing shutouts the previous two games, JCA senior right-hander Andie Broniewicz (18-7) allowed the four runs on eight hits with no walks and three strikeouts.

“I’m just so proud of the way we fought all the way until the end,” said Broniewicz, who will continue to play in college at Loyola. “Just the way we kept pushing through. We never gave up, the ball just didn’t fall in. We gave it our all.”

Freshman left fielder Madison Patrick and senior catcher Jolee Santiago had the other Angel hits. But Santiago summarized JCA’s frustration when she hit the ball on the nose but lined into a double play after Brow had reached on a single to lead off the top of the second.

In the top of the seventh, Santiago smashed a one-out triple to the left-center gap. She had a three-run triple in the 5-0 semifinal victory over Unity and, despite her team being down 4-0, she was fired up as she got to third in her last high school at-bat.

“My attitude was just to make my last at-bat great,” Santiago said. “It’s not over until it’s over. If you get some momentum you never know what will happen.

But a strikeout and a final lineout ended the game.

Tina Kinsella, in her fifth year as head coach, will always remember this special season.

“I’ll remember the six seniors,” she said of Broniewicz, Santiago, Cassie Frangella, Charlie Kinsella, Brianna Luevano and Sara Neville. “They were my first recruiting class, and they were always there for each other.”

Semifinal game

Broniewicz fired a four-hit shutout as the Angels defeated Unity, 5-0, to advance to the Class 2A title game.

“I’ve been a part of JCA softball for 20 years as either an assistant or a head coach,” Tina Kinsella said. “Our six seniors have been together since freshmen year and are a big reason that we are here.”

Two of the seniors are also the battery of Broniewicz and catcher Santiago. They combined to knock in all of the runs.

Freshman third baseman Fanter led off the top of the first with a single and senior center fielder Kinsella reached on an error. The pair moved up to second and third on a sacrifice by junior second baseman Bruno.

That brought up Broniewicz, who boomed a two-run double to right-center.

For the second straight game, Broniewicz didn’t allow anyone on the other team to score. She struck out eight, walked one and hit a batter.

“I was just keeping them off balance,” Broniewicz said of her pitching success. Just getting ahead and having Jolee behind the plate for me.”

Santiago had the big blow in the fifth.

Fanter (3 for 4) led off with her third straight single. Two outs later, Broniewicz was intentionally walked. Brow also walked. Santiago then hit a sharp grounder to the right of second. It took off on the turf field and went all the way to the wall for a three-run triple.