The IC Catholic Prep softball team extended its run of excellence this spring.
The Knights, under the direction of longtime coach Frank Reaber, finished fourth in the state in Class 2A, while turning in a 30-7 overall mark and sharing the Girls Catholic Athletic Conference White Division title with Chicago Saint Ignatius College Prep (both teams finished 12-2).
ICCP dropped an 8-6 game to Serena in the Class 2A state semifinals in Peoria at Louisville Slugger Sports Complex.
Serena led 3-2 after the first inning, but ICCP came back to take a 5-3 lead heading into the bottom of the fifth inning. Serena then scored four runs over the final three innings to win it. The Knights had 14 hits, while Serena had 12.
Freshman Sophia Deoudes went 3-for-5 with two runs scored, a double and an RBI for ICCP. Senior Sofia Bucaro went 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI. Senior Lexi Hoffman went 2-for-4 with an RBI, while junior Lexi Russ was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI. Kelly Cahill, also a junior, had a hit and an RBI, while Ari Zito went 2-for-4 with two runs scored. The Knights stole nine bases in the game. Sophomore Jaida Cervantes had two steals.
Maddy Dinino took the loss in the circle. She pitched the final 5 2/3 innings and struck out one. Leilani Mendez started the game for the Knights.
ICCP then lost 15-6 to Williamsville in the Class 2A state third-place game. The Bullets jumped out to an 8-1 lead after the second inning and never looked back. Williamsville had 18 hits, while the Knights had 11 hits.
Mendez was 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Dinino had a double, a run scored and two RBI. Deoudes had two runs scored and stole three bases. Bucaro went 2-for-4 with a run scored, while Hoffman was 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI. Russ had an RBI and Cahill was 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI.
Mendez took the loss. She pitched the first 5 1/3 innings, while Dinino pitched the final 1 2/3 innings.
ICCP reached the state semifinals after a 1-0 win in eight innings over Stillman Valley in the Class 2A Benedictine University Supersectional in Lisle.
The Knights had two hits in the game. Cahill had a double, while Hoffman had a single. Deoudes had the game’s only RBI and Cervantes scored the game’s only run. Stillman Valley recorded 17 strikeouts against ICCP.
Dinino was the winning pitcher. She threw an eight-inning complete game, allowing six hits, striking out five and walking only two.
ICCP, which has won three sectional titles in a row now, was making its first-ever appearance in the state finals.
Also recently, Cahill and Russ were named to the Illinois Coaches Association Class 2A all-state first team, while Dinino and Zito were ICA all-state second-team selections.
Cahill hit .505 with 54 hits in 107 at-bats to go with 18 runs scored, 17 doubles, seven triples, four home runs and 58 RBI. She walked 19 times and struck out only four times in 134 plate appearances. She finished with a .585 on-base percentage, a .907 slugging percentage and a 1.492 OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage).
Russ hit .455 with 45 hits in 99 at-bats and scored 48 runs to go with 13 doubles, four triples, four home runs and 56 RBI. Russ drew 28 walks and stole 28 bases. She finished with a .563 on-base percentage, a .788 slugging percentage and a 1.351 OPS.
Dinino hit .423 with 47 hits in 111 at-bats to go with 15 runs scored, 11 doubles, two triples, two homers and 35 RBI. She had a .613 slugging percentage and a 1.098 OPS.
In the circle, Dinino went 16-3 with a 2.89 ERA in 25 appearances. She struck out 108 in 143 innings and walked only 37 of 611 batters she faced. Opponents hit .235 off her.
During ICCP’s first four playoff wins this season, Dinino threw three shutouts. Logging 22 innings, while giving up 14 hits, striking out 20 and walking five in wins against Trinity, Chicago Christian and Stillman Valley.
Zito hit .458 with 44 hits in 96 at-bats. She scored 60 runs and had four doubles, four triples, one home run and 16 RBI. Zito drew 31 walks, stole 56 bases and struck out only eight times in 129 plate appearances. Zito had a .594 on-base percentage, a .615 slugging percentage and a 1.209 OPS.
Defensively, Dinino made no errors in 84 total chances (1.000 fielding percentage), while Cahill made one error in 217 total chances (.995 fielding percentage). Russ made five errors in 75 total chances (.933 fielding), while Zito made nine errors in 106 total chances (.915 fielding).
The 30 victories set a new ICCP softball program record.
