Four-run third inning propels Oak Forest to
softball state title
By Joe Pritchett
Clarion Editor
The Glenwood High School girls softball team had a postseason run for the ages this spring, but
the Titans hit a major roadblock in Saturday's IHSA Class 3A state championship game in the Oak
Forest Bengals.
Oak Forest (31-4), featuring Gatorade's Illinois Player of the Year in pitcher Emily Norton, along
with All-State shortstop Amanda Sheppard, scored four times in the third inning and never looked
back in defeating Glenwood 7-1 at EastSide Centre in East Peoria.
In the third place game, Burlington Central defeated Glenbard South 3-1.
The Bengals scored a two-out run in the first inning and then put the game away in the third, with
two Glenwood errors contributing. The Titans committed 11 errors in their two games at the state
tournament, but the errors really weren't the whole story in the championship game.
"In this kind of game, you almost have to be perfect," GHS head coach Vondel Edgar stated. "And
today we weren't. But the girls did so many things just to get here, and even in this game their
character showed. We just kept scrapping and clawing and gave ourselves a chance. We just dug a
hole that was too big to get out of."
Glenwood (28-9) managed five hits off Norton (29-3), including two booming doubles off the wall
by first baseman Kim Franke. The Titans' only run came in the fifth, when Shelbi Tudor smacked a
two-out triple to the rightfield wall, scoring Kasey Oliver, who had singled with one out.
Catcher Kaitlyn England had Glenwood's other hit, a one-out single in the fourth. Courtesy runner
Ashley Backus was thrown out stealing to end that threat.
Sarah Garrison (24-5) allowed nine hits and walked one in seven innings of work for the Titans.
She struck out one and committed a costly error during the Bengals' big rally in the third inning. Only
one run was earned against Garrison.
"Obviously, we didn't put everything together today, but that's a very good team and you have to tip
your cap to them," added Glenwood assistant coach Terry McDevitt. "We had some real good at bats,
and our game plan was to make her (Norton) bring the ball down and we did that. We just gave up a
big inning, otherwise we would have been right there."
•In the top of the first, Garrison retired the first two batters before Sheppard swatted a double to the
wall in left-center. Clean-up hitter Cassie Bilotto followed with a solid groundball single to center to
make it 1-0.
Franke had a one-out double in the second but Norton struck out the side, including Oliver
swinging on a 3-2 pitch after a great, 12-pitch at-bat that included six foul balls.
Things unraveled quickly in the top of the third on the Titans. Kristyne Smyth reached on a bunt
single but was picked off at first by England, who threw to Alyssa Esperum covering.
Following a single by Norton, Amy Zalud hit a grounder to Garrison, who turned and threw wildly to
second base, putting two runners on. A walk to Sheppard loaded the bases with one out for Bilotto,
who singled to right to knock in the second run. Zalud was picked off between third and home on the
throw in to Sami Estill, putting runners at second and third with two outs.
Alyssa Prucak followed with a two-run double down the leftfield line to make it 4-0, and an error by
Esperum on a grounder up the middle by Haylee Swanson allowed another run to score, making it 5-
0 Bengals.
Norton, who struck out 11 and walked one, fanned the side again in the third, pitching around a
one-out walk to Tudor. Following Tudor's RBI triple in the fifth, Esperum struck out swinging on a 0-2
pitch. Oak Forest added two more runs in a very confusing top of the sixth.
Emily Naegele led off with a double to the centerfield wall and scored on a throwing error to first by
Estill, who was trying to throw out Molly Singraber after a grounder to third. With a runner at third and
two outs, Zalud was up again.
On a 2-2 count, an outside pitch was dropped by England. Thinking the batter had swung and
missed, there was confusiion as to whether the batter was out. England ended up throwing the ball
to first, but the pitch was ruled a ball and Singraber scored from third on what was ruled as a stolen
base.
Many of the fans in attendance had no idea what was going on, as the run counted and Zalud
remained at the plate. Zalud then grounded to second, where the ball was booted by Esperum. But
Zalud was ruled out for being out of the batter's box.
The Titans went down in order in the sixth, and Franke led off with a double to left in the seventh.
But Norton closed out the game with a strikeout and two popouts, the last being caught by third
baseman Prucak on a diving attempt.
•"This season was a process," summed up Edgar. "At some point, the girls bought into what we
were trying to do and bought into each other and decided to make the effort. There's breaks and a
little luck in there and to overcome what we've overcome this season is pretty remarkable."
Garrison, a junior, emerged as a legitimate No. 1 starter this year. She will return next season,
along with starters Estill (3B), Cole (LF), Oliver (SS) and Meyer (RF), along with key reserve
Cassandra Harvill (OF). Senior starters England (C), Franke (1B), Esperum (2B), Lauren Galloway
(CF) and Tudor (IF, DP) will be sorely missed, along with reserve Backus.
"Sarah's come such a long way," McDevitt explained. "Vondel started calling games and there
was a transition there. She started to understand what he was trying to do with her in setting up
hitters. Everything just fell into place and we put together a run of really nice games."
Edgar, in completing his 10th season as the Titans head coach, now has a record of 273-70 at
GHS and 334-82 in 13 seasons overall. Glenwood has two state tournament appearances during
his tenure, including 2005, when the Titans also finished 28-9 and lost a Class AA quarterfinal game
4-0 to Moline.
softball state title
By Joe Pritchett
Clarion Editor
The Glenwood High School girls softball team had a postseason run for the ages this spring, but
the Titans hit a major roadblock in Saturday's IHSA Class 3A state championship game in the Oak
Forest Bengals.
Oak Forest (31-4), featuring Gatorade's Illinois Player of the Year in pitcher Emily Norton, along
with All-State shortstop Amanda Sheppard, scored four times in the third inning and never looked
back in defeating Glenwood 7-1 at EastSide Centre in East Peoria.
In the third place game, Burlington Central defeated Glenbard South 3-1.
The Bengals scored a two-out run in the first inning and then put the game away in the third, with
two Glenwood errors contributing. The Titans committed 11 errors in their two games at the state
tournament, but the errors really weren't the whole story in the championship game.
"In this kind of game, you almost have to be perfect," GHS head coach Vondel Edgar stated. "And
today we weren't. But the girls did so many things just to get here, and even in this game their
character showed. We just kept scrapping and clawing and gave ourselves a chance. We just dug a
hole that was too big to get out of."
Glenwood (28-9) managed five hits off Norton (29-3), including two booming doubles off the wall
by first baseman Kim Franke. The Titans' only run came in the fifth, when Shelbi Tudor smacked a
two-out triple to the rightfield wall, scoring Kasey Oliver, who had singled with one out.
Catcher Kaitlyn England had Glenwood's other hit, a one-out single in the fourth. Courtesy runner
Ashley Backus was thrown out stealing to end that threat.
Sarah Garrison (24-5) allowed nine hits and walked one in seven innings of work for the Titans.
She struck out one and committed a costly error during the Bengals' big rally in the third inning. Only
one run was earned against Garrison.
"Obviously, we didn't put everything together today, but that's a very good team and you have to tip
your cap to them," added Glenwood assistant coach Terry McDevitt. "We had some real good at bats,
and our game plan was to make her (Norton) bring the ball down and we did that. We just gave up a
big inning, otherwise we would have been right there."
•In the top of the first, Garrison retired the first two batters before Sheppard swatted a double to the
wall in left-center. Clean-up hitter Cassie Bilotto followed with a solid groundball single to center to
make it 1-0.
Franke had a one-out double in the second but Norton struck out the side, including Oliver
swinging on a 3-2 pitch after a great, 12-pitch at-bat that included six foul balls.
Things unraveled quickly in the top of the third on the Titans. Kristyne Smyth reached on a bunt
single but was picked off at first by England, who threw to Alyssa Esperum covering.
Following a single by Norton, Amy Zalud hit a grounder to Garrison, who turned and threw wildly to
second base, putting two runners on. A walk to Sheppard loaded the bases with one out for Bilotto,
who singled to right to knock in the second run. Zalud was picked off between third and home on the
throw in to Sami Estill, putting runners at second and third with two outs.
Alyssa Prucak followed with a two-run double down the leftfield line to make it 4-0, and an error by
Esperum on a grounder up the middle by Haylee Swanson allowed another run to score, making it 5-
0 Bengals.
Norton, who struck out 11 and walked one, fanned the side again in the third, pitching around a
one-out walk to Tudor. Following Tudor's RBI triple in the fifth, Esperum struck out swinging on a 0-2
pitch. Oak Forest added two more runs in a very confusing top of the sixth.
Emily Naegele led off with a double to the centerfield wall and scored on a throwing error to first by
Estill, who was trying to throw out Molly Singraber after a grounder to third. With a runner at third and
two outs, Zalud was up again.
On a 2-2 count, an outside pitch was dropped by England. Thinking the batter had swung and
missed, there was confusiion as to whether the batter was out. England ended up throwing the ball
to first, but the pitch was ruled a ball and Singraber scored from third on what was ruled as a stolen
base.
Many of the fans in attendance had no idea what was going on, as the run counted and Zalud
remained at the plate. Zalud then grounded to second, where the ball was booted by Esperum. But
Zalud was ruled out for being out of the batter's box.
The Titans went down in order in the sixth, and Franke led off with a double to left in the seventh.
But Norton closed out the game with a strikeout and two popouts, the last being caught by third
baseman Prucak on a diving attempt.
•"This season was a process," summed up Edgar. "At some point, the girls bought into what we
were trying to do and bought into each other and decided to make the effort. There's breaks and a
little luck in there and to overcome what we've overcome this season is pretty remarkable."
Garrison, a junior, emerged as a legitimate No. 1 starter this year. She will return next season,
along with starters Estill (3B), Cole (LF), Oliver (SS) and Meyer (RF), along with key reserve
Cassandra Harvill (OF). Senior starters England (C), Franke (1B), Esperum (2B), Lauren Galloway
(CF) and Tudor (IF, DP) will be sorely missed, along with reserve Backus.
"Sarah's come such a long way," McDevitt explained. "Vondel started calling games and there
was a transition there. She started to understand what he was trying to do with her in setting up
hitters. Everything just fell into place and we put together a run of really nice games."
Edgar, in completing his 10th season as the Titans head coach, now has a record of 273-70 at
GHS and 334-82 in 13 seasons overall. Glenwood has two state tournament appearances during
his tenure, including 2005, when the Titans also finished 28-9 and lost a Class AA quarterfinal game
4-0 to Moline.
Chatham Clarion
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Issue Date: June 18, 2009
