advertisement

Kaneland firepower subdues Batavia

Morgan Weber had a routine groundout to start the Kaneland softball game against visiting Batavia on Monday afternoon.

The Bulldogs would never retire the Knights' leadoff hitter again in the schools' spring break nonconference game in Maple Park.

The sophomore shortstop had run-scoring triples in her next two plate appearances and added a third extra-base hit in her final at-bat.

Kaneland dominated the middle portion of the game between the longtime former league rivals and improved to 3-0 on the nascent season with a 9-3 victory.

The Knights' No. 1 pitcher, senior Angie Morrow, scattered 3 hits and did not allow an earned run in going the distance in her season-opener.

Batavia is 0-1 after dropping its first game of the season.

"I was trying to get hits for the team," Weber said. "I was looking to hit the ball (hard). I had confidence (at the plate). I was just trying to advance runners."

Batavia scored without the benefit of a hit in the top of the third inning, but Kaneland would respond with an extra-base extravaganza.

In a 10-batter sequence spanning their third and fourth innings, the Knights had 3 triples and a pair of doubles.

Seven Kaneland players in all scored during the onslaught as all but one of the Knights' 7 doubles or triples was hit to the opposite field.

"Our girls did a real nice job in going the other way," said Kaneland athletic director and first-year coach Peter Goff. "It's still March. We have some things to worry about."

Goff was referring to a couple of mental errors on the base paths and an equal number of fielding mistakes that produced all 3 Batavia runs.

But the Knights' collective prowess at the plate was undeniable.

Against three different Batavia pitchers, the Knights pounded out 14 hits.

The Knights' Paige Kuefler plated Weber with a one-out triple - to almost the identical spot in deep right-center field - to give Kaneland the lead for good in the bottom of the third.

"I just swing the bat," the Knights' backstop said. "Whatever happens, happens."

Meg Cohrs' double in the ensuring at-bat gave Kaneland a 3-1 lead, and the second straight Weber triple - the lone Kaneland extra-base hit that was pulled - scored Morgan to Sikon, who opened the Knights' fourth with yet another ringing double.

Rachel Goress' pitcher-to-second-to first grounder scored Weber, and Cohrs' second straight hit ended the Knights' 2-run sixth inning.

"They're a real good hitting team," Batavia coach Lupe Castellanos said of Kaneland. "I expected them to come out and hit the ball. They earned those runs."

The offensive highlight for Batavia came in the Bulldogs' fifth when Natalie Offutt plated Elyse Burns and Christina Kurius with a two-out double.

Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.