On Saturday, June 10, the girls varsity softball team played their final game of the 2023 season, beating Antioch and winning the IHSA Class 3A Softball State Championship for a back-to-back state title.
The game was a 1-0 shutout with the only run being scored by recent 2023 graduate Nicole Pontrelli. Pontrelli squeezed a walk-off bunt allowing now senior Addison McGrath to slide in safe during the bottom of the 12th inning, making it the longest class 3A state title game in history.
“When Nikki P [Nicole] laid down that bunt and Addy [Addison] took off at home and slid in safe, right when Nikki hit first base, I picked her up with the biggest hug and I was literally, running to home plate with her,” Lauren Panek, assistant coach and Lemont softball alumnus said.
The game was also a no-hitter for recent 2023 graduate Sage Mardjetko, who threw 24 strikeouts throughout the game and was also named 2023 Gatorade Player of the Year. This was also Mardjekto’s official last high school softball game.
“Our pitcher, Sage Mardjetko, got a lead-off hit in the bottom of the 12th inning, and she got on, and that just hyped us up so much, and the energy was so high, and everyone just kept getting hits and hits, and we finally scored,” Allison Pawlowicz, a now senior, said.
On top of the back-to-back state title, the team had one of the best softball seasons in Lemont history. They finished with a final conference record of 18-1, and a final season record of 35-1, and outscored all opponents in the playoffs 54-0.
