St. Charles North stays hot in win at Geneva
It felt a little strange to St. Charles North's players not to see Sabrina Rabin at the top of the lineup Friday, but it didn't do much to slow their hot bats.
Kaitlyn Waslawski replaced Rabin in the leadoff spot and went 2-for-2, reached base all four plate appearances, scored four times and drove in three runs - just one of the stars in the North Stars' 17-4 win at Geneva in five innings.
Alison Hausl took Rabin's spot in the circle and improved her record to 3-1. After a defensive miscue led to a 3-run first for Geneva, Hausl allowed only an Annika Radabaugh home run over the final four innings.
The Northwestern-bound Rabin, an even better student than she is a softball player, was a late scratch because she was late to the game while taking a test.
"It was weird but it was fun to have Alison step up," said senior shortstop Mickey Goetz, another of the many North Stars with a big day at the plate. "Defensively we were a little shaky in the beginning but our bats made us more confident. We did well overall."
Every hitter in the St. Charles North (16-6, 12-2) lineup had at least one hit.
Four of them had 3 hits: Goetz (3-for-4, 6 RBI), Hausl (3-for-4, 3 runs), Jordyn Wolfe (3-for-3, 4 runs) and Andrea Beal (3-for-3, 3 runs, 4 RBI).
"It was good to see us come through with runners in scoring position," North Stars coach Tom Poulin said.
Geneva (13-10, 6-7), playing without pitcher Emily Plocinski and third baseman Molly Wrenn out with injuries, scored three runs in the bottom of the first to take a short-lived 3-1 lead.
After Madison Keith ripped an RBI single to left, Goetz and Beal collided on a short pop-up between short and center field. The ball dropped and two runs scored.
The North Stars got those three runs back in the second. After Beal's RBI single, Goetz - who also had a run-scoring single in the first - blasted a 2-run double down the left-field line to put the North Stars ahead to stay, 4-3.
St. Charles North broke the game open with a 7-run third inning. Erin Nemetz doubled to start the rally, and Hausl, Andrea James and Beal all singled.
After Waslawski was hit by a pitch to force in a run, Goetz lined a 2-run single to center for a 9-3 lead, giving her 5 RBI in the first three innings. Abby Howlett singled to drive in the final run of the inning which ended with the North Stars ahead 11-3.
St. Charles North added 4 runs in the fourth and 2 in the fifth. Beal knocked in the final two with a double to the fence in right-center.
That was plenty of support for Hausl who struck out three and allowed 4 hits. Wolfe made a couple catches in deep left field on well-hit balls by the Vikings.
"Alison did well," Poulin said. "We found out before we got on the bus the test a couple of our girls were taking including Sabrina would keep her from being here by game time. She (Hausl) has been doing real well. Any time you give her an opportunity she is making the most of it."
Rachel Fanella took the loss as she continues to shoulder a heavy workload for Geneva.
"Her tank is a little low," Geneva coach Greg Dierks said. "She had Sunday off but pitched Friday, Saturday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. She's doing what she can for the team."
Radabaugh's home run was her second in as many games against the North Stars this week and the fifth of her freshman season as she closes in on the school record of eight.
"I thought we were a little more alert and sharp mentally defensively than we have been," Dierks said. "I thought we were still fighting. They have pride. They are working hard. We are going to get rewarded here coming up. We'll turn it around and get it going again."