PEORIA — Three feet? Four feet?

That part doesn’t really matter. What does matter is senior infielder Nicole Pontrelli put down the biggest bunt of her life with the precision of a surgeon.

And now she — along with all of Lemont — is a two-time Class 3A state softball champion.

“It’s amazing,” Pontrelli said. “To come back for year two and win it again, especially since it’s my senior year, I couldn’t have asked for anything more.”

Those were the words Saturday of a walk-off hero following Lemont’s 1-0 win in 12 innings over Antioch in the 3A state championship game at Louisville Slugger Sports Complex.

Pontrelli’s squeeze bunt plated courtesy runner Addison McGrath with the winning run for Lemont (35-1). Senior ace Sage Mardjetko put an exclamation point on her high school career with a 12-inning no-hitter. The South Carolina recruit struck out 24.

Michigan State recruit Jacey Schuler struck out 10 for Antioch (34-2).

The story of Lemont’s game-winning rally?

Bunt, bunt, and bunt.

Mardjetko started the bottom of the 12th by putting the ball down. When the throw got away, Mardjetko looked like she was flying as she rounded first base.

“I hope so,” Mardjetko said, laughing. “I felt like I was. We were not hitting the ball and getting on, so we were like, ‘Let’s just try something.’

“I knew I had to push it. Putting down that bunt and getting to second was crucial, especially with no outs.”

There was one out when Maya Hollendoner laid down another critical bunt to advance McGrath to third.

“I just had a job to do,” Hollendoner said. “I did what I could to get it done. I knew it was a big deal with it being in the bottom of whatever inning we were playing.

“With a runner on, it was a scary moment, for sure. I mean, extra innings, I was shaking the whole time. I was just doing what I could to help my team.”

In the on-deck circle, Pontrelli geared up to bunt again. She was definitely up for it.

“I knew after my last at-bat that I got a pretty good bunt down,” Pontrelli said. “I was thinking I’d do the same thing with the same mindset.

“I knew Addison was in scoring position. She’s a fast runner, and I trust her to get home.”

The bunt dribbled a few feet before the ball was picked up. No attempt was made to throw Pontrelli out at first. McGrath beat the flip home.

The hero?

“After I got it down, I just ran as fast as I could,” Pontrelli said. “As soon as I got to first and knew they didn’t have the ball, I heard cheering behind me. Then my first base coach came up and hugged me.

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“That’s when I knew that was it.”

A done deal. For Lemont. For Sage.

“Yes, for Sage,” Pontrelli said. “She’s been pitching amazing. I mean, how many innings was that, 12? And it was crazy. She has done amazing in this game and all year around. ‘

“I still can’t believe how she does it. Just amazing.”

Mardjetko’s 24 strikeouts brings to an end the most successful pitching career in program history. Throwing back-to-back no-hitters in state championship games pretty much says it all.

“Yeah, it’s pretty insane,” Mardjetko said. “To throw a no-hitter last year was insane. To do it again this year … I don’t even know what to call it. But I trust this team. I know that when balls are put in play, they’re going to be outs.

“Even if there is an error, I’ll pick my teammate up. That’s just how this team works. We’re playing for each other. To go out with this team, like this, is just awesome.”