PEORIA — The sun was shining, but the drive was definitely a moonshot.
Way, way over the fence in center field.
Senior outfielder Isabel Cunnea celebrated her record-setting home run with her Marist teammates at home plate and the dugout. But she also had something more important on her mind.
“It doesn’t really matter, in hindsight, that I broke a record,” Cunnea said. “As long as our team is going to the state title game, that’s all that really matters.”
Cunnea — and the rest of the RedHawks — put a stamp on that Friday with a 10-0 win in five innings over Barrington in a Class 4A state semifinal game at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex.
Camryn Lyons had three hits and three RBIs for Marist (36-2). Eileen Donahue had two hits, while Cunnea hit a monster two-run homer. Gianna Hillegonds pitched a one-hit shutout, striking out four. Lexi Thomas had the only hit for Barrington (35-6).
Marist will play Yorkville (36-2) at 3:30 p.m. Saturday for the state championship.
Cunnea’s second-inning home run was the 93rd hit this season by the RedHawks. They smashed the previous single-season record of 78, hit by Barrington in 2022.
With 23 homers, Cunnea is only two shy of the Illinois High School Association record set this season by St. Joseph-Ogden’s Shayne Immke. In the program’s record book, she stands one ahead of Angela Zedak, who hit 22 in 2019.
Talk about some history.
“I never thought this could happen, not even at all,” said Cunnea, a Northwestern recruit. “This season, I was just focused on hitting the ball hard. I just kept going, I guess.
“On this one, I was just thinking, ‘Hit the ball hard and put it in play.’ These fences are further than the normal ones. I just thought, ‘Hit a line drive.’ And it just carried.”
Everyone wearing Marist red let her know about it as she circled the bases.
“When I was rounding third, coach (Colleen Phelan) was like, ‘Twenty-three! That’s twenty-three!'” Cunnea said, laughing. “And then everyone was so happy when I came into home.
“This team is just great. I would say most of them are happier than even I am for breaking the record. So it’s great. All of their support is awesome.”
All of their power is pretty stunning.
The hit parade Saturday included five singles, four doubles, a triple and a home run. The first one came after a two-out walk by Cunnea. It was rocket RBI double to left by Donahue.
“That was great,” Cunnea said. “It’s always great to come out with a two-out hit. And that thing was launched.
“I knew when I was on first base that Eileen would do her job. The birthday girl with a birthday double to score the first RBI at state.”
Donahue turned 18 on Saturday.
“Last year, my birthday was the day we left for state,” Donahue said. “This was more fun. Well, Saturday will be more fun. But I’ll take it.”
The shutout by Hillegonds was her third straight during the state playoffs.
It was a tidy effort, with the only real threat by Barrington coming in the second inning. The Fillies had runners on second and third with nobody out when the sophomore right-hander produced back-to-back strikeouts.
“I just thought about how many times my team has had my back,” Hillegonds said. “They have done so many amazing things for me. I just thought, ‘Get out of this now. You can do this for them.'”
During four trips to state from 2019 through 2023, Marist has had four different starting pitchers in the circle.
“I have such big shoes to fill,” Hillegonds said. “Sometimes, it’s a little nerve-wracking, but I really love getting the opportunity to play with this team.”