Fighting Benet rallies past Neuqua Valley

Shellie Schaffer will never count out her Benet team.

A rally is always around the corner with this lineup.

"We don't get down on ourselves," said the Redwings junior. "We're fighters."

Schaffer's leadoff hit sparked a 5-run Benet sixth, as the No. 8 Redwings stormed back to beat No. 13 Neuqua Valley 9-7 on Monday in Lisle.

Benet (3-0) trailed 7-4 going into the sixth, and Schaffer started things with a hard-hit ball under the third baseman's legs. Benet's next two batters walked and Schaffer scored on a fielder's choice. Lauren Ladowski dropped in a single just fair in back of first base, driving in Benet's sixth run.

Neuqua pitcher Colleen Hohman came back to strike out the next batter, but Nora McGuire hit a smash off the second baseman's glove. The tying run scored, and an error on the throw home brought in Benet's go-ahead score.

Another Neuqua infield error made it 9-7.

"We just gave the game to them at the end," Neuqua coach Elaina Tanaka said. "Take nothing away from them, they're a great team, they're hitting the ball hard and were aggressive. But at the end of the day we made too many mistakes. That was our game and we gave it right to them."

Benet earlier scored 2 runs on wild pitches.

"Our baserunners are aggressive," Benet coach Jerry Schilf said, "and quirky things happen. At the end we got the breaks. But we took advantage of them."

Benet also drew 8 walks off Neuqua ace Hohman, relieved by Jena Boudreau (1-1) after the first three batters reached base in the sixth.

"We know that she's been wild the first couple games," Schilf said. "These kids know each other so they know what's happening. We put the ball in play and were patient."

Neuqua (1-2) drew first blood on Amanda Mener's 2-run double in the second. Schaffer hit a 2-run homer to tie it in the bottom half, but Neuqua came back with 3 runs in the third, the last 2 coming in on Chelsea Mueller's two-out double.

Speedy leadoff hitter Mener cranked a homer to start the fourth, making it 6-2.

"I think she had a little tear in her eye when she came in the dugout," Tanaka said with a smile. "I can relate to that. I was a lefty slapper when I played."

Hohman's two-out single in the top of the sixth made it 7-4, setting the stage for the wild bottom half. Mueller doubled for Neuqua with two out in the seventh, but McGuire made a diving stop on a hard-hit ball and lunged to tag first base with her glove for the game's final out.

"We're going to have games like this because there's a lot of good teams in this area," Schilf said. "Naperville North, Naperville Central, Neuqua and us - put us in a hat. We're all equal."

Benet also beat Neuqua in a regional final last year.

"I know a lot of people on their team. Our whole team does," Schaffer said. "Our coach says it's just Neuqua Valley, but to us you're playing against your friends and it's bragging rights for a whole year."