PEORIA — Mundelein senior pitcher Shae Johnson put her head down as she walked to the dugout following a rough fourth inning in the Class 4A state championship game on Saturday.
Coach Heather Ryan approached Johnson, who vomited for a second time in the heat, and implored her to sit for an inning. But Johnson wanted to return to the circle for the fifth.
“I’ve had battles with Shae before of me wanting her to come out of the game,” Ryan said. “We have to go with her. She got us here. When she said she was going to finish it off, that’s all it took for me.
More Top Picks Canopies
“She wasn’t feeling great. I was just worried she would get dehydrated. She begged me to stay in the game.”
Johnson, a Fullerton College commit who led the Mustangs to the state tournament for the second time in three years, pitched all seven innings in her final high school game.
“I didn’t want an inning off and wanted to pitch and just told coach this is my last time ever pitching for Mundelein,” she said. “I let it all out there. We’ve fought before in the past on this stuff. But at the end of the day, I told coach that I got us here and asked her to let me finish it out.”
Johnson, unable to pitch last season after she suffered a torn labrum in her throwing shoulder, allowed six runs on 10 hits and three walks while striking out four for the Mustangs, who lost 6-1 to Lincoln-Way West at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex in their first appearance in a state championship game.
“Coming back from the surgery, when a year ago I wasn’t pitching, means more to me than anything,” Johnson said. “This is just so special.”
Mundelein (23-6) also didn’t play a home game for most of the season because its new field wasn’t ready.
“Playing on the road, that really prepped us to get here,” Ryan said. “I’m so proud of the girls. They are so resilient. The five seniors who started this run — Kieley Tomas, Johnson, Shea Eaman, Casey Vyverman and Emily Courtney — they bat one, two, three, four and five in the lineup.”
Tomas, the Mustangs’ all-time hits leader, had two of their five hits and scored their only run against the Warriors (30-7). Junior second baseman Devin Hill also had two hits.
Eaman highlighted the importance of Johnson, the North Suburban Conference pitcher of the year. Johnson entered the state tournament with a 19-3 record and a 1.06 ERA and also had a .408 batting average.
“She is literally our program,” Eaman said. “She worked so hard, battling injuries and setbacks, and is one of the most resilient people I’ve known. She worked hard all four years, especially this year. We wouldn’t be here without her.”
Ryan went even further.
More Top Picks Best Leather Belts For Jeans
“Shae is now the standard of Mundelein softball,” Ryan said. “If you want be a great pitcher, teammate or hitter, Shae Johnson is the example and standard.”
Johnson is just grateful for the experience.
“These past four years have been an incredible ride,” she said.
Bobby Narang is a freelance reporter.