EAST PEORIA, Ill. (June 12) — Nikole Van Gennep, a softball pitcher at Lincoln-Way East High School in Frankfort, threw a five-inning no-hitter to win a Class 4A semifinal game for the Griffins against Barrington this evening, after rain delayed action some four hours.
Nikole Van Gennep pitches a no-hitter in the state championship 4A semifinal. (Voxitatis)
She struck out 7 Barrington players in the game. On the offensive side, she went 2 for 4 but drove in a run in each of her at-bats. The game ended after five innings with a score of 11-0, because Lincoln-Way East was leading by 10 or more runs after five or more complete innings.
One Barrington player reached base in the game, Van Gennep having walked her with two outs in the second inning. Otherwise, her game was perfect. Barrington only hit the ball out of the infield twice, despite substitutions galore in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Lincoln-Way East will play for the state title in Class 4A on Saturday, June 13, provided the weather cooperates, against Marist, who defeated Oak Park-River Forest this afternoon. In Class 3A, Washington Community, who defeated Sacred Heart-Griffin today in the semifinal game, will play Marengo for the championship. Marengo defeated Kaneland in their semifinal.