Caitlyn Moran guides Grant to first North Suburban crown

Turns out, it was worth the wait.

Grant needed 13 years to earn a spot in the North Suburban Conference Championship Game.

And when the Bulldogs finally got there on Wednesday, they didn’t waste the opportunity.

Led by junior pitcher Caitlyn Moran, Grant stunned host Zion-Benton 3-2 to win the North Suburban title.

Moran was the catalyst, holding down Zion’s high-powered offense.

“Caitlyn pitched her heart out, but all the girls came through tonight,” Grant coach Mike Dolezal said. “We got key hits in the fifth inning. It’s been a wonderful experience. I can’t say enough about these girls.

“I wish I could say it’s a group I’ve had for years, but with six new starters … back in March, I didn’t know what to expect, but the kids have stepped up.”

Nobody stepped up more than Moran, who fanned 10 in the game.

“You can’t think about it,” she said of Z-B putting the game-winning runs on base with one out in the seventh. “You just look at the catcher’s mitt and you throw it. We’re solid in every part of the game. We pick each other up. This group of girls … we all get along and we work really well together.”

The Bees have won the Prairie Division three times and won the North Suburban title in 2004.

“Rick Rymer (Zion’s coach) runs a great program,” Dolezal said. “He’s a class act and the program here (at Zion) is a class act. It’s nice for us to beat a school like this. The girls earned it.”