By Randy Whalen
Correspondent
There was happiness all around for Marist.
The RedHawks cruised into their third straight Class 4A state championship game by bashing Barrington 10-0 in five innings on June 9 at Louisville Slugger Stadium in Peoria.
Marist (36-2) will face Yorkville (36-2) at 3:30 on today for the state title. The Foxes rallied for three runs in the bottom of the 13th to stun Oak Park-River Forest 4-3 in the other semifinal.
RedHawks sophomore ace Gianna Hillegonds allowed just one hit in the win over Barrington. She walked one hitter and struck out four.
“This is amazing,” Hillegonds said. “It was so exciting out there and the team has my back. I just love this opportunity.”
Marist slugger Isabel Cunnea highlighted a five-run fifth inning with a two-run home run, her school record 23rd of the season. Camryn Lyons was 3-for-3 with three RBI and Eileen Donahue was 2-for-2 with two runs and two RBI on her 18th birthday.
Cunnea, who has more than doubled her long ball total from last season, surpassed Angela Zedak, who hit 22 for the RedHawks in 2019.
Shayne Immke of St. Joseph (Ogden) set the new single-season state record for home runs this year with 25.
“I didn’t think about hitting a home run, not at all,” Cunnea said. “The fences are longer here, so I just wanted to hit the ball hard, hit line drives.”
Her drive went to straightaway center and made it 7-0.
“It was the forbidden topic; we didn’t talk about it,” Marist coach Colleen Biebel said of Cunnea breaking the home run record. “Isabel has just had fun, stayed loose and hit for power. But what she wants more than the home run record is the state title trophy.”
Now the RedHawks have the opportunity to win their fourth state championship.