Junior pitcher Sarah Klonowski gave up a home run Friday afternoon to the first batter she faced for St. Laurence.
That’s not the way to start a win-or-go-home game.
But Klonowski has been there, done that.
“My first start on varsity, I gave up a homer to the first batter,” she said. “It was a home game against Trinity. You just have to forget it and go on to the next hitter.”
That attitude gets the Klonowski-led Vikings to the next game.
Klonowski pitched the win, had four hits with a home run and also stretched out to make a diving catch on a bunt attempt between the mound and the plate during a 13-5 victory over Richards in the Class 3A Evergreen Park Sectional championship game.
It’s the first sectional title in program history for the Vikings (22-10), who play at 4 p.m. Monday against St. Ignatius (27-8-1) in the first game at the Rosemont Supersectional.
Things also got a lot better Friday for the right-handed Klonowski, who ended up winning her varsity debut in 2021. She won this one too — her biggest win to date.
After Richards (16-14) opened with the first of two homers by Abby Mallo, there was no doubt Klonowski was going to get through it, according to senior shortstop Angelina Juarez.
“Sarah is one of those pitchers where you can put her against any odds and she’s going to produce and come through,” Juarez said. “We have full faith in her.”
“The best thing about Sarah is that it happens, she looks at me, and it’s next pitch,” St. Laurence coach Teagan Walsh said. “That mentality has helped her get this far. She shakes it off and is ready for the next batter.”
Klonowski’s hitting also was huge. She said she hits a home run “once in a blue moon” but was happy to contribute offensively to the historic first sectional title.
The Vikings went coed for the 2017-18 academic year.
“Everyone is so happy we made it this far,” Klonowski said. “I don’t know if anyone was expecting a lot this year, but we really started coming forward at the end.”
Still, St. Laurence trailed Richards 5-4 heading into the bottom of the fifth.
St. Laurence forced a 5-5 tie in that inning on Emma Lotus‘ double. That brought in Juarez. The Vikings then scored eight runs in the sixth, aided by three errors.
Lotus, Juarez, Maddie Lapinski and Fiona Sjostrom each finished with two hits for the Vikings. Juarez, who bats ninth in the order, reached base four times.
Juarez was hit by a pitch on the arm her first time up, leaving a bruise. She was plunked on the wrist in her second at-bat, but the slapper responded with two hits, including the go-ahead run in the sixth.
The fingers on her right hand were still shaking after the game from the hit on the wrist.
“I had it wrapped up, but when the game started getting intense, I pulled the tape off and threw it in the garbage,” she said. “I was like, ‘No way.’ I wasn’t sitting back.”
Richards made it to the sectional final after stunning Evergreen Park 5-3 on Tuesday. Richards lost 7-1 and 13-0 to the Mustangs in the South Suburban Red.
Mallo hit homers in the first and third innings Friday, but the Saint Louis recruit was intentionally walked her final two at-bats on the high school level.
“You get used to the walks, but it’s so exciting just to be out here,” Mallo said. “I had a lot of foul balls until I got pitches that I liked. It’s great to try to make a statement by hitting a home run.”
Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.