Softball: Barrington’s Maggie O’Hara bashes game-winning grand slam

Updated: May 11, 2012 7:58PM

Barrington right-fielder Maggie O’Hara bashed a long and dramatic birthday present for her mom Friday night.

With the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the eighth inning, the Fillies junior connected with a fastball for a grand slam over the right field wall to lift Barrington to a 6-2 win over MSL-rival Fremd.

“I knew everything was resting right on me,” O’Hara said of the game-winning blast in extra innings. “I knew I had to get a run in.”

O’Hara admitted that she felt added pressure as she walked up to plate because the previous two Fillies batters struck out looking in the same situation.

“I knew I just had to put the ball in play,” she said. “I got the perfect pitch and I just knew I could hit it to the right side.”

The ball sailed over the right field wall for her second home run of the year. With a name like O’Hara, it’s not too surprising her only other long ball of the season came on St. Patrick’s Day.

The Fillies first run of the game also came off O’Hara’s bat. Danielle Di Iorio was able to scamper in from second on an error by the Viking’s shortstop.

“I have confidence in Maggie because Maggie has started all year long for us,” Fillies coach Perry Peterson said. “She is a good hitter and she works hard.”

Despite getting on the board via a walk and an error in the second, Barrington didn’t record its first hit of the game until two outs in the fifth. Trailing 2-1, junior third baseman Loren Krzysko smashed a single up the middle and later scored when first baseman Jordan Wekony beat out an infield single.

Barrington junior Cassidy Kraimer threw a complete game to earn the win. She allowed two runs, both coming on Fremd first baseman Michelle Mazur’s double in the bottom of the third.

Kraimer composed herself to only give up three hits over the remaining five innings.

“Cassidy is getting better all the time,” Peterson said. “She keeps improving, she works hard, and she’s gaining confidence everyday.”

The win moved Barrington to 26-7, and 10-5 in the conference.

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