Wild, walk-off play sends Charleston to state softball tourney

By Mike Monahan

DECATUR – Charleston’s historic softball season looked like it might come to an end Monday.

The Trojans trailed Mt. Zion 4-2 heading into the bottom of the seventh of Monday’s Class 3A IHSA Supersectional – although the situation had seemed even more dire two innings earlier when CHS trailed 4-0.

The Trojans, had been in this spot before during the post season.

CHS had trailed 5-1 before scoring 10 runs to win the sectional championship last Saturday to beat Waterloo.

Charleston finally scored in the fifth when, with one out, Maci Mayhall singled to left-center and scored on Brie Tomlinson’s triple to right. Tomlinson later tagged up to score when Shrader flied out to deep center.

After a scoreless sixth inning, CHS began its rally before the standing-room only crowd at the Workman Family Softball Field on the campus of Millikin University.

Mayhall, the team’s No. 8 hitter, started off with another single, this one to center. Thompson followed with a single before being replaced by a courtesy runner, Olivia Schuette.

One out later, runners advanced on second and third the grounder.

Freshman Avery Beals then reached on a shallow fly ball mishandled by Mt. Zion’s right fielder near the foul line. The umpires met to make sure the ball was dropped in fair territory. Mayhall scored on the error, making it 4-3, while Beals and Schuette advanced to second and third on the play.

Karah Moore arguably made her best out ever, hitting a hard grounder to third. Schuette raced home as Mt. Zion’s third baseman released the throw to first. The relay home from the first baseman to try and catch Schuette bounced past Mt. Zion’s catcher.

As the ball rolled away from the plate, CHS coach Blain Mayhall saw Beals jumping up.

“Go!” he yelled.

The fleet-footed Beals raced home, sliding safely ahead of the tag for the final run and another historic victory.

“I realized I needed to go about the time coach Mayhall started yelling to go,” said Beals. “It was a little scary, but, as soon as I realized that, my head just went back right into I got to go. As I was going up to bat I was thinking: ‘I want to get on base. I want to get to score a run.’ As soon as I rounded third, I was thinking: ‘That is what I get to do.’”

Beals said she had not, at first, seen the ball get past the catcher. But she knew she could still make it home for the decisive run.

“On plays like that, the turf is really nice because, when you are sliding into home, you feel like you get more speed,” Beals said. “And I can get down and get below the tag a lot easier.”

Charleston will play Antioch, a 5-2 winner over Sycamore. CHS (28-5) has won 10 straight while the Sequoits (33-1) finished third last season in their first trip to state. Antioch is ranked No. 2 in the state, according to the Illinois Girls Softball Association rankings.

The game is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. Charleston is No. 14 and Mt. Zion was No. 7.

Defense was key for CHS

The Charleston defense, one that averaged two errors per game, didn’t make a mistake Monday night. Plus, catcher Erin Blair caught two runners attempting to steal, one in the first and one in the third inning.

“Erin Blair can throw,” Mayhall said.

“We had a lot of big defensive moments that you know you are going to have to have in big games.”

Kailyn Wilson also made an exceptional defensive stop, diving to her right in centerfield to catch a line drive that would have brought in a run.

Addison Shrader remained composed in the third inning when she knocked down a hard liner, picked it up and threw hard to first for another key out.

“You have to have those big defensive plays,” Mayhall said, “and we did that today.”

Mt. Zion had a key defense play as well, executing an unassisted double play that likely saved a run.

“Everybody played a part today,” said Mayhall, a Neoga graduate, “Addison kept us in it within reaching distance. Down 4-0, that is an easy time to quit. We bring Karah in and she shuts them down.”

Moore allowed one hit in the final two innings.

Said Mayhall: “For her to shut the door like that.”

Mt. Zion struggled with runners on base

Mt. Zion (32-6) left eight runners on and seven were in scoring position.

“It is hard to stop momentum,” said Mt. Zion coach Greg Blakey, who led his Braves to a third place finish in 2019 and a fourth place finish in 2018 and is 758-317-1 in 31 years. “They had some momentum at the end of the game, and we didn’t stop it very well. A couple of times we had some momentum and we didn’t use it enough to get what we needed out of the deal. I thought we should have got more than three runs in the fifth, but, obviously, we didn’t. We could not get the key hit. Give Charleston credit. They shut us down and did what they needed. We had trouble playing defense late and, sometimes, you don’t deserve to win if you don’t hit well and don’t play defense well.”

Mt. Zion had batted around in the fifth to go ahead 4-0, starting with a leadoff walk on a full-count, one of six by Shrader. A single and walk loaded the bases. A sacrifice fly, single and two more walks generated the three runs.

Celebration

Coach Mayhall received the ice cold water bath by a host of Charleston players and midst cheers of TRO-JAN.

“I have never been more proud of anything in my life except my kids being born, and I got so close to this group,” said Mayhall. “I coached them in middle school and I have had all of the kids since they were young. It probably means more for that reason. It is just not about the sports. We are establishing relationships and bonds that are going to last way past softball. Now we get to go have fun up there (Peoria) and enjoy it.”

Mayhall allowed himself to comment on his daughter’s performance. Maci ignited the two key rallies in the final innings.

“Everybody played a part today,” Mayhall said. “But that meant a great deal for me as a father.”

Said Maci: “It was so special. He is just beaming with excitement. He has supported me through everything whether I strike out or whether I get on base or whether I pop out. He has just been a good support all around. It is great to have him as a coach.”

Moore, meanwhile, was on her hands and knees just beyond first base during the plays at the plate.

“I was just hoping for anything to get us ahead on the scoreboard. The amount of emotions when that happened is something I have no words to describe. It was amazing.”