Richards pitcher Emily Chavosky didn’t sweat the pressure.
In fact, the freshman right-hander looked relaxed, smiling several times in big moments Wednesday against conference rival Evergreen Park.
“It was really nice, especially to see my teammates smiling with me,” Chavosky said. “I love seeing their reactions more than mine.
“I love turning around and seeing them all smiling and running for the circle after a big strikeout.”
Chavosky had several of those, the biggest being her last, when she fired a high fastball past Saint Louis-bound Lily Strand with the tying run on first base in the bottom of the seventh inning.
That clinched the Bulldogs’ 2-1 victory over the second-seeded Mustangs in the Class 3A Nazareth Sectional semifinals in La Grange Park.
“I was just so shocked,” Chavosky said of that moment. “I knew we could come in and win, and then it became a reality.
“It was a big inning and very stressful for everyone with all the delays and stuff.”
The third-seeded Bulldogs (20-10) advance to play top-seeded St. Laurence at 4 p.m. Friday in the sectional final.
It’s the second straight season Richards has upset Evergreen Park in the sectional semifinal. In both seasons, they prevailed in the playoffs after losing twice to the Mustangs in the regular season.
Chavosky, of course, wasn’t around last spring, but Richards coach Julie Folliard had an inkling of what was coming, even though the Mustangs (21-9) had beaten Chavosky 10-7 in the second meeting.
“It was raining and Emily actually slipped and fell down on her knees three times on the mound,” Folliard said. “I knew that she would pitch better this game because she’s gotten progressively better over the season.
“She’s in a really good, competitive mindset where she’s having fun and playing loose.”
Indeed, Chavosky allowed only four hits and one unearned run while walking two and striking out seven. Evergreen Park broke through only once, when Strand’s two-out RBI single in the fifth scored Jackie Jones, who had reached on an error, to force a 1-1 tie.
A 30-minute lightning delay followed, but Chavosky didn’t lose focus.
“The game got really fast last game and I didn’t really slow it down,” Chavosky said. “But this game, I definitely just took my time and got myself in the right mental mindset.”
The heat briefly took a toll in the sixth, when Folliard called for a trainer to give Chavosky some water. She responded by striking out Sofie Panatera to end the inning.
“Emily is just a terrific competitor and loves to compete,” Folliard said. “She kept it together. I’m so proud of her.”
Chavosky wasn’t the only freshman to come through for Richards. Third baseman Mia Albon hit a two-run double to left to lead off the top of the sixth and went to third on a single by Kyra Olejniczak.
Skylar Egan was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and one out later, Abby Cole hit a tapper in front of the plate. Albon broke on contact and barely beat the toss from Strand to catcher Dora Cihocki to score the go-ahead run.
“I was just running because we were working on it in practice the other day,” Albon said. “I just ran and hoped that I was safe.”
That was all Chavosky needed.
“We did a lot of good things right and we did a couple things that cost us both offensively and defensively,” Evergreen Park coach Michelle Vucsko said. “But overall, super proud of their effort, their fight and just the season as a whole.”
Now, Chavosky will get a chance to pitch the Bulldogs to their first sectional championship since 2011. Folliard said the moment won’t be too big.
“She likes it,” Folliard said. “We’re learning that. She’s a special kid and a great team player.”
Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.