Bears Fall To New Trier In Girls Softball Super-Sectional

The Lake Zurich Bears girls softball team lost to New Trier in a nail-biter on June 6 in the Glenbrook South Super-Sectional by 3-2 in eight innings. New Trier’s Chelsea Delaney scored the winning run after walking for the fourth straight time. Molly Morrison’s double to right field with one out drove in Delaney with the winning run off Bears pitcher Megan Matera. While the Bears were denied a trip to the state tournament, New Trier (23-11) is going for the second time in the last four years. In 2008, it finished fourth in the state. Lake Zurich concluded one of its best seasons with a 24-8 record.

The Bears got on the board first, scoring a run in the fourth on Alli McGinnis’ RBI double. Megan Mattera aided her solid pitching effort when she slugged a homer in the sixth for 2-0 lead. But New Trier rallied in the bottom of the inning, loading the bases with one out. Eileen Hurley then drove the ball up the middle to tie the game at two apiece, setting the stage for Morrison’s eighth-inning heroics. New Trier’s Brigit Ieuter then shut down the Bears in the bottom half of the inning to pick up the victory. Ieuter retired the last five hitters that she faced.

Mattera struck out seven on the day, while collecting a pair of hits in her final game with Lake Zurich. She will play college ball at Miami of Ohio next season. The Bears won their second-ever sectional championship June 4, when they squeaked by Fremd, 4-3. They were trying to get back to the state tournament for the first time since 1990.

Congratulations to Sean Eder and Parker Asmann, who were selected to the Lake County All-Area Baseball Team. Eder hit .418 on the season, but with runners in scoring position, he hit an even more impressive .475. Eder easily had the most impressive power numbers on the Bears, leading the team with four home runs, and 27 RBIs. He also had seven doubles among his 38 hits. Eder also can throw in excess of 90 miles per hour, and next year as a senior will be an important member of Lake Zurich’s pitching staff.

The versatile Asmann not only played every infield position except first base for the Bears, he was also one of the team’s top pitchers with a 1.98 ERA, the best on the team. Asmann also had an impressive 54 strikeouts in 42 1/3 innings. Asmann knocked out eight doubles and four triples among 40 hits in 86 at-bats, good for a .465 average. He also had 22 RBIs. Asmann will pitch next year for the University of Evansville.

Likewise, kudos to Paige Goldberg, Megan Mattera, Alli McGinnis, Kelly Neises and Maria Schroeder, who were named to the Lake County All-Area Team in girls softball. The Bears’ starting catcher for the last two years, Goldberg missed three weeks late in the season with an ankle sprain. She returned in time to play in the regional final, helping her team advance to the super-sectional. Goldberg hit an impressive .405 with 17 stolen bases.  

Mattera finished the season with 10 home runs, the last hit in the Bears super-sectional loss to New Trier. Mattera also hit over .400 with 32 RBIs. She won 21 games in the circle and struck out 184 batters while posting an ERA of 1.67. Mattera was truly the star of the Bears.

Junior Alli McGinnis will be back next year to be an important part of Lake Zurich’s team for another season. Going into the Warren sectional, she was hitting .375, and was clutch throughout the playoffs, going 2-for-3 in the title-clinching win over Fremd. She also had an RBI double in the Bears’ super-sectional loss to New Trier. And in the North Suburban Conference championship victory over Antioch, she drove in the game-tying RBI in the seventh and ninth innings. The versatile McGinnis played a number of positions while hitting six doubles, two home runs and 23 RBIs.

Kelly Neises also will be back to join McGinnis as the nucleus of the team next year. The speedy two-spot hitter batted .411 with 39 hits while scoring 23 runs. She also showed her speed on the base paths with 16 stolen bases.

Maria Schroeder, with her reputation for boogying in the on-deck circle and between pitches, was the player who kept her teammates loose and laughing. But the freshman third baseman was a dead-serious offensive threat, hitting .385 entering the Warren sectional game. Her game-tying RBI triple in the seventh ignited Lake Zurich to a 4-3 win over Fremd. Schroeder wrapped up her maiden season with nine triples, 18 RBIs and 12 stolen bases.

Congrats are also due Vanesa Abad and Brooke Sill, for being named to the Lake County All-Area Team in girls soccer. Abad emerged as Lake Zurich’s most potent offensive weapon, with 11 goals and 11 assists. The quickness with which Abad transformed into her team's go-to offensive player was truly astounding, and her speed, agility and intelligence served her well all season, especially considering it was her first year on the varsity squad. Not only could Abad take it to the net, but she also had the selflessness and smarts to pass it off to her teammates when the situation warranted it.

Senior Midfielder Sill scored nine goals and three assists for Lake Zurich this season, and will continue her soccer playing at Eastern Illinois in the fall. Sill’s coach Meghan Kolze felt that she made an impact in every game this season.

Last but certainly not least, junior Coulton Every copped an honorable mention on the Lake County All-Area Team in boys volleyball.