Softball: Third time’s still the charm for Conant

Updated: May 30, 2012 8:59PM

Conant made it look easy to defeat an opponent three times in the span of one season.

Two home runs off of the bat of Kim Jacobson powered the Cougars to an 8-1 win over host Barrington in a Class 4A sectional semifinal Wednesday.

“Our team’s focus was that we wanted to make history again and take a step in the right direction,” said Conant head coach CathyAnn Smith. “Playing a team in our conference for the third time is always tough, but the girls came out and were focused and ready right from the first pitch.”

After sophomore third baseman Rachel O’Malley sac-bunted Allie Bauch to third, the Fillies intentionally pitched away from junior catcher Miranda Cavin to get to Jacobson.

This was a move Jacobson was familiar with.

“I’ve been working on my hitting a lot lately especially after the last time we played Barrington and [Peterson] intentionally walked to get to me,” said Jacobson. “That really got to me and I figured I’d take it to them this time and show them that’s not happening.”

Following the home run, senior starting pitcher Briana Cavin did the rest.

Cavin virtually shutdown Barrington and threw seven innings and allowed one run on six hits and struck out nine.

Barrington got its run off of a solo homer from junior left fielder Tess Bolger in the third inning.

Cavin helped her own cause in the fourth inning as she hit a sacrifice fly to left field to extend the lead to 4-1.

The Cougars (33-3) looked to finish off the game in the fifth with the bases loaded and no outs, but only one would cross home in the inning off of a Megan Reff single.

Jacobson capped off the scoring in the sixth as she clobbered her second long ball of the day to left-center field.

“I was seeing the ball great and I figured that bunt would throw them off a little bit,” Jacobson said. “It was just a fun day and spontaneous.”

Jacobson finished 3-for-4 with a bunt single, two home runs and six RBI and Miranda Cavin went 2-for-2 with two walks and three runs.

Fillies’ junior starting pitcher went four innings and gave up four runs on seven hits and three walks.

Also for Barrington (30-8), junior right fielder Maggie O’Hara finished 2-for-3 with a double and Bolger went 1-for-2 with a walk and a home run.

Conant will play the winner of the Fremd-Elk Grove game Saturday at 11 a.m. in Barrington for the sectional championship.

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