Dunlap battles, but can’t overcome early deficit against Antioch in state semis: ‘We were close’
- Jonathan Michel
- 4 hours ago
- 5 min read
PEORIA — Dunlap gave it its all on an overcast day in front of hundreds of Eagles fans that made the short trek to the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex.
But despite the Eagles’ home field advantage, Antioch had big-game experience and had little trouble bringing baserunners home. Dunlap, however, was making its first state appearance since 1992 and had several scoring opportunities go by and it resulted in a 6-1 loss in Friday’s Class 3A state semifinal game.
The Eagles managed to put up six hits to the Sequoits’ seven, but had seven runners left on base and could never recover after Antioch jump-started the game with a four-run first inning.
“We had a couple pretty young players out there, and now they kind of know what it's going to take one through nine out there on defense,” Dunlap head coach Germaine Fairchild said.
“When you come and play at this level, you end up figuring out what you got to do to get back here. They gave you a good example of what that's going to take…We were close, but we weren't as clean as they were.”
Antioch was no stranger to playing in Peoria or to facing Division I recruits like Dunlap’s Sutton Centoni. The Sequoits’ senior class was making their third trip to state and the program’s fourth state berth in the last five years.
They wasted little time in making a statement as Bradley commit Addison Webb, playing on her future collegiate home turf, laced a two-run single with one out in the top of the first after two out of Antioch’s first three batters reached base.
Rylee Dunlavy hit an RBI single in the next at-bat, advanced to third on an error and came across to score on an infield single by Kailyn Bockwoldt to make it a 4-0 Antioch lead by the time the Eagles grabbed their bats.
Facing Centoni, an Illinois commit, didn’t faze the Sequoits who earlier in the season had beat pitchers committed to Indiana, Northwestern, South Carolina and Michigan State.
“We had them well-scouted out, we knew what she's going to be throwing, what she likes to go with so we had a good plan and we worked it a lot the last two days,” Antioch head coach Anthony Rocco said.
“Even on the first hit of the game, [Centoni] executed the scout for that pitch, our scout was that early in the count that hitters are going to take a pitch,” Fairchild said. “But this is a championship environment and everybody tries to be what the scout on them would be, so hats off to them.”
Dunlap found a response in the bottom of the first when Lexi Hamer drew a leadoff walk, Addie Reed singled on a bunt and Centoni drove in Hamer on a chopper to third.
Centoni settled in and retired six straight batters in the second and third innings before back-to-back singles and a two-run triple by freshman Kylie Pfleeger made it a 6-1 Antioch advantage.
The Sequoits’ lineup featured several Division I-bound players, including Claire Schuyler (Minnesota), Samantha Hillner (Illinois-Chicago), Webb (Bradley) and Tegan Schuler, who recently de-committed from Michigan State.
“They've been in this game, they know how it goes, and we kind of have a routine for this kind of situation,” Rocco said. “We're not really too worried about them getting nervous, I mean we're very cool and confident.”
The Eagles found themselves in similar situations in each of the middle innings. They put a runner on second base in both the third, fourth and fifth frames, but could not capitalize. Dunlap appeared to be on the verge of a breakthrough in the sixth after a leadoff single by Gabby Drake.
However, Antioch’s shortstop Schuyler made a diving stop on a grounder by Centoni up the middle, crawled to the second base bag for the force out and gunned it over to first to complete the double play.
“Hats off to their defense, they made some incredible plays out there, maybe stole a couple hits, I think,” Fairchild said. “They came to play championship ball and that's exactly what they did.”
The Eagles didn’t exit the inning quietly as singles from Hallie Reed and Addison Forsythe extended the frame, but Sequoits freshman pitcher Pearl Wenzel got an inning-ending strikeout.
Wenzel finished with two strikeouts, three walks and six hits allowed in a complete game while Centoni fanned 10 with no walks and seven hits allowed. Hannah Parker added a double for Dunlap.
“I think we could have hit a lot better,” Hamer said. “I know what we're capable of but today just wasn't the day for us.”
“We, offensively, executed pretty well,” Fairchild said. “We just didn't quite have the strength we needed to hit the ball into the wind there.”
Regardless of the result, the Dunlap community have fully embraced the Eagles’ historic run. It marks Dunlap softball’s first state trip since 1992 and the morning’s pregame celebration was complete with a fire truck and police escort from the school.
Many of the Eagles’ family members, classmates and travel ball teammates were in attendance and braved a few light showers early in the morning to take in the action.
“What an incredible feeling that I will never forget, just having that kind of a crowd out in this great venue,” Fairchild said. “[We] just couldn't be more grateful for the support we had with this amazing send off from Dunlap today with the fire and police, just what a special feeling to feel that supported.”
“I think it's really just bringing everyone together,” Hamer said. “The support we've been getting is just unmatched. I love just seeing everyone come to our games and obviously we're making history just by being here.”
Dunlap’s memorable campaign isn’t done just yet. The Eagles will take on Oak Park Fenwick in Saturday’s third-place game at 10:15 a.m. A victory would result in the best state finish in program history.
“I think we just want to enjoy it with the rest of our seniors,” Hamer said. “We just kind of want to leave it all out, do our best and obviously we have a trophy to play for,” Hamer said. “If we win, we make history regardless so we're ready.”
“If [Antioch is] eventually the champ, we'll wear that feather in our cap,” Fairchild said.
“But first, we're going to go out and win a trophy tomorrow.”