Lemont Softball Finishes As 2021 IHSA Class 3A State Runner-Up

LEMONT, IL — Making its first state finals appearance in 32 years, Lemont High School’s softball team finished as the 2021 IHSA Class 3A state runner-up after the championship game on Thursday.

Head coach Chris Traina’s squad lost, 1-0, to Highland in the state championship game, which was contested at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex in Peoria, the school said. Lemont finished the season with a 28-5 record, closing the season with wins in 26 of 28 games. It earned the program’s third state trophy, and matched its best state finals finish.

The title game featured two of the state’s top pitchers in Lemont sophomore Sage Mardjetko and Highland senior Sam Miener, the school said. That matchup lived up to its billing, with baserunners hard to come by. Neither team had a runner past second base until the bottom of the seventh. Miener led off with a double to left center field. Her courtesy runner stole third base and eventually scored the game-winning run on a sacrifice fly to send Highland (25-1) to the title, according to the school.

Mardjetko (16-2) allowed just two hits and one earned run in 6.2 innings while striking out 11. Miener, who had both of Highland’s hits, struck out five in a two-hit shutout and finished the season with a 25-0 record. Freshmen Raegan Duncan and Allison Pawlowicz picked up base hits for Lemont, the school said.

Lemont was making its fourth state finals appearance. Each of its first three state finals appearances came at the IHSA Class A level (1985, 1988, 1989). It previously won state trophies in 1988 (2nd) and 1989 (3rd), according to the school.

Its 28 wins in 2021 were its most in one season under Traina’s leadership, the school said. Lemont won its third South Suburban Conference-Blue Division title by finishing a perfect 19-0 league play, and also captured its fifth straight IHSA Regional and third consecutive IHSA Sectional.