By Mark Gregory
Editorial Director
@Hear_The_Beard
mark@buglenewspapers.com
Entering the IHSA Class 4A state finals weekend at the EastSide Centre, nationally ranked Marist had only lost twice on the season — both coming to out of state teams.
On Saturday, Joliet West handed them their second loss in as many days, claiming third-place in the state with a 3-2 win over the RedHawks.
(Photo by Mark Gregory)
The trophy was the first for the Tiger program, as West had not advanced to the state meet since it did so in 1977 and 1978, but did not place.
The combined Joliet Township program won the state title in 2000.
“It has been a while,” West coach Heather Suca said. “I was one year shy of the 2000 team, but I did get to go down state and I did get that experience and that is what I want for every team I coach because this is something they will never forget.
“This is what happens when you come together as a team. This team has really battled all postseason. Our role players really bought in and made this a true team effort.”
Marist got on the board first when Lexi Voss blasted her 14th home run of the season to give the RedHawks a 1-0 lead.
After that, however, Joliet West ace Savannah Fierke (19-7) only allowed two more hits in the game, one in the seventh inning, giving up only two runs to a team that averaged nearly 10 runs per game entering the weekend.
“Home runs are going to happen and I knew I couldn’t crumble and fold,” Fierke said. “Marist is such a good hitting team that if you let that carry to batters after, there would have been more runs. My teammates were looking to me to see how I reacted and I had to stay composed.”
That composure is what Suca likes about her sophomore pitcher.
“She stayed composed and she has a great head on her shoulders,” Suca said. “She has talent, but what I love most about her is she is smart, she can stay composed and for a sophomore, that is huge.”
West tied the game in the third inning when Ambria May scored on an error.
May walked to lead off the inning and was the first base runner Marist pitcher Angela Zedak allowed in the game.
She advanced to second on an error on Taylor Durak’s sacrifice attempt and moved to third on a fielder’s choice.
May scored when an errant throw on a steal attempt at second ended up in center field.
Despite not allowing a hit through three innings, Marist pulled Zedak for Abby Dunning.
After one scoreless inning, sophomore Alex Hughes drove in a pair of runs to break the game open for the Tigers.
“After a tough loss, I just wanted to win,” Hughes said. “I was just going in there hacking. I was just swinging and hoping for the best. For us to even be here is just an experience.”
The Tigers are not satisfied, however.
After a tough 3-2 loss to St. Charles East in the state semifinal and losing only four seniors from this season’s squad, the returning Tigers already have their eye on the prize.
“The mentality that we will take is that we could have been playing for a championship because we know if it wasn’t for a few little things, we would have been,” Fierke said. “I think next year, we will have a chip on our shoulders.”