Montini breaks out the bats against IC
The Montini softball team arrived at the Plunkett Athletic Complex in Elmhurst on Monday afternoon wanting to hit against host IC Catholic Prep.
The Broncos have faced tough pitching since the season started, and that wasn't going to change against the Knights. Some Broncos were struggling at the plate, and Montini hadn't won since opening day last week.
The Broncos connected on 12 hits and dominated from the start for a 7-1 victory in the Suburban Christian Conference opener for both teams.
"We came in today with a good mindset with regard to hitting," said Broncos coach Richie Costante. "Some girls were struggling. They came in for extra hitting (practice) and it paid off. They took a great approach today and had some good swings."
The Broncos (2-4, 0-1) got started quickly with three runs in the first innings. Cristina Barrett and Alyssa Sclafani connected on consecutive singles to center. Emily Lezcano followed with a basehit that fell just an inch or two from the border separating the infield from the outfield. That scored Barrett.
Another boost to Montini on the afternoon was scoring four runs during the game with two outs. The first time happened in the opening inning when Amy Bukovsky doubled to left to score Sclafani and Lezcano.
"We had been leaving runners on base and we had to start getting runners in. I saw the pitch and drove it," Bukovsky said.
Bukovsky was one of four Broncos who had a multiple-hit game led by Lezcano's 3-for-4 showing with Bukovsky, Barrett and Tacia Mesina with two hits apiece.
In the second inning Mesina singled to center and with two outs, Barrett's basehit scored her.
Montini scored twice in the fifth. A sacrifice fly by Naomi Alonzo scored Lezcano, who had reached base on a walk. Bukovsky reached base that inning on an infield hit and she later scored on a wild pitch.
Lezcano led off the seventh with her third basehit of the game, and Alonzo earned her second RBI of the game, again with two outs, when her single to right scored Lezcano.
Pitcher Lauren Trojnar earned the complete-game victory, giving up just five hits and striking out six.
The Knights (6-1, 0-1) had opportunities to score, stranding a total of four runners total in the fourth and fifth innings including baserunners at third. IC Catholic finally got on the scoreboard in the seventh. With one out Gabby Curran walked followed by Katelyn Falduto's single to left. An error in handing Falduto's hit scored Curran and moved Falduto to second.
IC Catholic Prep coach Frank Reaber said it was just one of those days.
"We had been hitting the ball well. We just didn't come out hitting," he said. "The enthusiasm was not there. A couple of kids were not feeling well. That might have had something to do with it."
Reaber said the Knights, a Class 2A team, load their schedule with Class 3A and Class 4A teams to prepare for the playoffs and the next two weeks of the schedule will be especially tough.