BITTERSWEET ENDING FOR GAELS
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There were plenty of tears coming from St. Edmond players here Wednesday night at Rogers Park.
But that was far from the only emotions they were showing.
After pulling off one of the biggest comebacks in state softball tournament history with a stunning 13-12 win over Clarksville in 11 innings, the third-ranked Gaels were eliminated by the defending Class 1A state champion Indians, 6-5, on Farm Bureau Field.
No. 2 Clarksville (27-8 overall) will try to become the first 1A repeat titlewinner since Collins-Maxwell in 2019 when they square off with 15th-ranked Edgewood-Colesburg (30-10) Friday at 2:30 p.m. on Channel Seeds Field.
"That was a day of St. Edmond softball nobody is going to forget for a long, long time," SEHS head coach Bill Shirbroun said. "These kids can be proud of the effort they gave and the performance they put out there for the school, their families, their friends and the community.
"Clarksville is a very, very good team; they are the defending state champions for a reason. But I think we showed we are a very, very good team and program, too."
Earlier in the day, the Gaels (28-11) eliminated No. 10 Remsen St. Mary's to force the the first elimination game vs. Clarksville.
And what a game that was.
Down 12-7 entering the seventh, St. Edmond mounted an unforgettable rally, starting with a one-out solo home run by eighth-grader catcher Baylor Ulrich. Ella Vandi drew a walk, Sophia Schlienz doubled and lone senior Faith Shirbroun brought in Vandi.
After Shirbroun stole second, freshman Rihanna Myers unloaded on a three-run, game-tying homer that quickly left the field, clearing the oversized banner in left.
"Rihanna really showed that she is going to be someone to watch over these next several years," Shirbroun said. "She had an incredible tournament at the plate and in the field. Really, everybody did.
"We had so many kids come up in tight situations and make a big play either at the plate, in the field or in the circle."
St. Edmond and Clarksville traded three consecutive scoreless frames before Myers doubled to begin the 11th. She swiped third and scored the winning run on a single by Breckyn Ulrich.
Toryn Helle, who had come in relief of Myers earlier in the game, recorded the final three outs to secure the win.
"You really have to give a lot of appreciation for what all the pitchers from both our team and Clarksville did," Shirbroun said. "We had to make some decisions with who we started, when we went to someone else, and honestly, they all handled it so well.
"Toryn gave us everything she had and more out there all day and night long."
In the second game vs. Clarksville, the Gaels jumped out to a 3-0 lead on an RBI-single by Myers and a two-run double from Breckyn Ulrich. The Indians, though, answered with six in the second inning.
St. Edmond would scratch a run across in the fourth when Vandi doubled in Greenlee Crimmins, and would add one more in the seventh off another Ulrich RBI.
The Indians, though, were able to record the final out with runners on second and third, sending them to the title-round.
"I'm just so proud of them," Shirbroun said. "It's going to be weird not having Faith out there, as she's meant so much to the program, but we have a great group coming back and a lot of younger kids ready to join the ranks.
"St. Edmond softball is here to stay and compete for state championships."
Myers went 3-for-6 with a home run, four RBI, two steals and three runs scored in the two games vs. Clarksville, as Vandi had four hits. Schlienz recorded three hits, two RBI and two runs scored, Breckyn Ulrich had four hits and four RBI, Baylor Ulrich had two hits, three RBI and three runs scored, Rock had three hits and Greenlee Crimmins had three hits and two runs scored.
Helle pitched over 12 innings in the two games against Clarksville without allowing an earned run.
Shirbroun, in her final game as a Gael, was 3-for-4 with two runs scored and a steal. She went 5-for-6 with two runs, two steals and an RBI in the extra-inning victory.
Clarksville pitcher Sydney Lovrien, who threw over 200 pitches in a 15-inning win back on Monday, pitched over 11 innings, striking out 10. Gia Hoodjer had six hits with two RBI and two runs scored vs. St. Edmond, as Kara Bohlen recorded six hits with two RBI and two runs.
Caty Lodge had five hits, three RBI and three runs scored for the Indians.
CLARKSVILLE 6, ST. EDMOND 5
St. Edmond 300 100 1 -- 5 9 2
Clarksville 060 000 x -- 6 9 2
WP--Sydney Lovrien (6 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 7 K, 3 BB). LP--Breckyn Ulrich (1 ? IP, 6 H, 0 ER, 0 K, 1 BB).
2B--SE: Breckyn Ulrich, Ella Vandi; C: Gia Hoodjer. RBI--SE: Rihanna Myers, Breckyn Ulrich (2), Ella Vandi; C: Caty Lodge, Reagan Wedeking, Hannah Wangsness, Sydney Lovrien, Brooke Bohlen. SB--SE: Faith Shirbroun, Rihanna Myers, Sophia Schlienz.
ST. EDMOND 13, CLARKSVILLE 12 (11 inn.)
St. Edmond 031 030 500 01 -- 13 23 7
Clarkville 103 107 000 00 -- 12 16 4
WP--Toryn Helle (8 ? IP, 15 H, 0 ER, 0 K, 3 BB). LP--Reagan Wedeking (4 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 1 K, 2 BB).
HR--SE: Baylor Ulrich, Rihanna Myers. 2B--SE: Breckyn Ulrich, Baylor Ulrich, Sophia Schlienz, Ella Vandi, Faith Shirbroun; C: Cate Lodge, Kara Bohlen. RBI--SE: Baylor Ulrich (3), Breckyn Ulrich (2), Greenlee Crimmins, Sophia Schlienz, Faith Shirbroun, Rihanna Myers (3); C: Cate Lodge (3), Brooke Bohlen, Gia Hoodjer (2), Reagan Wedeking, Kara Bohlen (2). SB--SE: Sophia Schlienz, Greenlee Crimmins, Baylor Ulrich, Faith Shirbroun (3), Rihanna Myers (2), Jade Rock.
St. Edmond 10, Remsen St. Mary's 4
Rihanna Myers made sure the Gaels would secure their rematch with Clarksville, as the freshman was 4-for-4 with a homer, a double, four RBI and three runs scored in a 10-4 win over 10th-ranked Remsen St. Mary's.
Her three-run homer in the second sparked a six-run inning for No. 3 St. Edmond.
Toryn Helle came on in the fourth and retired the first nine batters she faced, including five by way of strikeout. Just one batter reached base on the sophomore, who pitched 10 innings at state vs. the Hawks, allowing just two hits with eight strikeouts and no walks.
Baylor Ulrich had a two-RBI double in the third, as Sophia Schlienz, Breckyn Ulrich, Jade Rock and Grace Crimmins each drove in a run. Ella Vandi, Schlienz, Breckyn Ulrich and Baylor Ulrich all had two hits.
For Remsen St. Mary's, Kimberly Cronin finished with two hits and an RBI.
ST. EDMOND 10, REMSEN ST. MARY'S 4
RSM 013 000 0 -- 4 5 2
St. Edmond 160 102 x -- 10 16 1
WP--Breckyn Ulrich (3 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 3 K, 3 BB). LP--Neely Bacon (1 ? IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 2 K, 1 BB). S--Toryn Helle (4 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 5 K, 0 BB).
HR--SE: Rihanna Myers. 2B--RSM: Grace Galles; SE: Faith Shirbroun, Rihanna Myers, Baylor Ulrich (2). RBI--RSM: Kimberly Cronin, Mia Matgen, Neely Bacon; SE: Rihanna Myers (4), Jade Rock, Breckyn Ulrich, Grace Crimmins, Sophia Schlienz, Baylor Ulrich (2).