Chicago Christian snaps St. Edward winning streak

St. Edward got the bats going early against Chicago Christian.

The Green Wave struggled to sustain its success, however, as Knights pitcher Lindsay Norway allowed just 3 hits in the next 6 innings. Chicago Christian's bats also got going as it rallied for 5 runs in the sixth inning to take a 7-4 Suburban Christian Conference Blue victory in Elgin, snapping St. Edward's 9-game winning streak.

“We got the 4 runs and swung the bats,” Green Wave coach Jaci Corn said, “We didn't score after that. They're a good team.”

The Knights scored 5 runs on 6 hits against Green Wave pitcher Sarah Field (11-8). Becky DePuiler had a 2-run double and Norway added an RBI double in the inning as the first five batters all recorded hits. The loss drops St. Edward to 12-8 overall and 8-3 in the SCC Blue.

The offensive output came after Field had allowed just 2 runs on 6 hits in the first 5 innings. The senior also struck out seven in those first 5 innings, including getting Theresa Kraiss to go down swinging with runners in second and third in the fifth.

The Knights (10-9, 6-3) had stranded 5 runners in scoring position during those first five innings.

But the Green Wave struggled to string together a series of hits outside of the first inning scoring burst. St. Edward had just 3 hits after the first inning.

Kali Kossakowski led the game off with a walk and Ashley Gradisher followed with a double. Senior catcher Tarah McShane cleared the bases with a 2-run double, putting the Green Wave up 2-0. Field followed with a single

Veronica Rolando had an RBI single to score McShane and courtesy runner Kristi Kroll to put St. Edward up 4-0.

“I usually struggle in the first inning,” said Norway, who has a 6-5 overall mark but is 4-2 in SCC Blue games. “I usually pick up speed later in the game. Our defense wasn't all there (in the first inning), but once they started playing better and diving for balls it made me more confident.”

Mary Kate Venhuizcn robbed Field of what looked sure to be a run-scoring extra-base hit when she made a diving catch in right field. McShane advanced to third on what looked like a surefire hit, but was then thrown out for not tagging up.

Second baseman Ashlay Quinlan made another saving catch when she recorded a diving out to open the bottom of the seventh.

“We have to keep swinging the bats,” Corn said.