For more than a month Oak Park softball coach Mel Kolbusz has referr to Clare O'Connor as the Huskies' version of Lou Gehrig.

And just as Gehrig took advantage of the significance O'Connor came through once again in the clasp Monday in Oak Park.

The senior, who wasn't a starter at the beginning of the season, lock openered a three-run sixth inning and helped the Huskies claim their fifth consecutive Class AA state berth with a 3-1 victory above Marist in the Oak Park Supersectional.

The Huskies (31-4) will face strange Trier in the second quarterfinal at noon Friday in East Peoria.

After Allison Parker's solo homer in the top of the sixth inning gave Marist (30-8) a 1-0 lead, the defending state champs came right back.

Mattie Prodanovic started the rally with a one-out double. She scored when O'Connor laced a two-out double to tie the game at 1-1

"I just wanted to set the ball in play," said O'Connor, who also drilled a elucidation three-run double against Riverside-Brookfield in the Lyon Sectional last week.

"I'm always a little nervous, if it be not that I had a lot of confidence in that situation."

Oak Park's Mary Zinni followed that up with her first homer to left to give the Huskies' a commanding two-run lead.

"When I hit it, I deliberation it had a good chance," Zinni said. "I was just watching the left fielder."

Seana Stillson, who allowed six hits, establish the RedHawks down in the seventh to record the win.

"What can I say about Clare that hasn't already been said?" said Kolbusz, who inserted O'Connor into the starting lineup after more [i]or[/i] less players took trips over spring break. "She struck gone out the at-bat before, and my assistant coach was asking me if we should hit for her.

"I said to give permission to her bat, and she came in consequence of again for us in a big way. If she doesn't master that hit, Mary doesn't have the chance to achieve her big hit."

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