First-year Addison Trail softball coach Mark Olson saw something he liked in the Blazer’s 6-2 loss to Buffalo Grove Wednesday at the Dome at the Ballpark in Rosemont.
“It’s a testament to these kids that although they were down, they were still battling to the final inning,” Olson said.”That was great to see.”
The Blazers (0-3) were trailing 6-0 and had struck out nine times going into the sixth inning against Bison junior pitcher Breann Steady (1-0), who was making her varsity debut.
But Addison Trail came up with a pair of runs and left two runners on base after Bison ace Julia Camardo (1-0) had come in to retire the final two batters of the inning.
“We are still making mistakes and the other teams are capitalizing,” Olson said. “But it’s a marathon and we’re a young team.”
Olson had only one senior starter (first baseman Sabina Muell) in a lineup that included freshman Carla Muell as the No. 3 hitter and shortstop.
Junior right-hander Crystal Marinelli (0-2), who pitched all seven innings, started the Blazers’ 2-run sixth inning with an infield single.
She eventually scored when the Bison (2-0) made an error trying to catch Marinelli in a rundown between third and home after Carla Muell reached on an infield error.
Cleanup hitter and junior Danielle Ciaglia then singled home Muell to make it 6-2 with only one out.
Sophomore Alex DiSilvio followed with a walk and after a wild pitch the Blazers had runners on second and third.
But sophomore reliever Camardo came in and got a strikeout and groundout to third for the final two outs.
Marinelli (2-for-4) and sophomore Ari Renc (2-for-3) were multiple hitters for Addison while Ciaglia went 1-for-3, hitting the ball hard but right at fielders in her two outs.
“It was great to see Danielle (Ciaglia) swinging the bat well,” Olson said. “I thought Rachel Baumgartner (junior) did a nice job at second base. And Bri Murray (junior) made some nice catches in right field (one robbed Bison catcher Amanda Salzman of extra bases in the first inning). I was happy with our girls’ effort.”