Fremd answers Stevenson's challenge

After four innings on Friday, Stevenson's softball team and pitcher Ruby Mankus had held the explosive Fremd offense scoreless and led 2-0.

The Patriots were nine outs away from handing the Vikings their first loss of 2015.

But Fremd proceeded to show why it averaged 14 runs in its first seven wins.

The Vikes scored 3 in the bottom of the fifth and added 5 more in the bottom of the sixth to rally for an 8-4 victory and improve to 8-0.

Fremd junior first baseman Julia Wacker, who missed her entire sophomore softball season due to an ACL injury, was a major player in each of the Vikes' big innings.

She had the game-winning RBI single to left to score Addison Stremel for a 3-2 lead in the fifth.

Wacker then belted her first varsity home run, a 3-run shot just inside the left field foul pole in the sixth to make it 8-3.

That proved to be plenty for freshman Nikki Kehoe, whose complete game with 4 strikeouts lifted her record to 3-0.

"That was good to see," said Fremd coach Jim Weaver of Kehoe's ability to close out the game after falling behind 2-0. "It was her game to win or lose. We wanted to see what she could do. She did well in a high-leverage situation."

Another Viking who was in junior high school a year ago, Jessica Mazur, also came through in a clutch situation.

The freshman designated player doubled sharply to left center to drive in Alyssa Garcia and Julie Josten with the Vikes' first 2 runs.

"She (Mazur) had great at-bats," Weaver said. "She hit three lasers and the fourth time she hit a hard grounder (resulting in a fielder's choice RBI)."

Wacker also was hitting the ball hard, enjoying the best offensive game of her career. She went 3-for-4 with 4 RBI.

But the modest junior, also a key player on Fremd's Class 4A state runner-up girls basketball team, didn't even want to talk offense.

"That was our best defensive game (no errors) all around," she said. "It was a big relief getting a win like this after we were down 2-0 against a good team. It's always tough when you play Stevenson. They are always so competitive."

Weaver emphasized his pleasure with the quality at-bats by Wacker.

"Julie is starting to settle in," he said. "She missed all of last season and we knew what she was capable of doing at the plate. She is relaxed now did a really did a great job with her at-bats."

Garcia also had a double in the Vikes' 5-run sixth and scored when catcher Holly Straup reached on a fielder's choice.

Vikes leadoff batter Abby Iuorio reached base four times, including 3 walks and an infield single.

Teammate Reagan Schneider made some key defensive plays at shortstop while Straup opened the game with a nifty catch of a foul ball near the backstop fence.

"This team has been resilient," Weaver said. "The most exciting thing about this game was the defense we played. That's a big step forward for us."

After an unfortunate injury in the bottom of the fifth, the Patriots had to move forward without their three-year varsity catcher Trish Porzycki, who was taken to Northwest Community Hospital following a play at the plate.

"We think it's a fractured wrist," said Stevenson coach Alex Vikartofsky. "We had to switch three positions and that changed the dynamics on the field.

"We're an up and coming team. I'm proud of all the small things we did well this game. We were close to them. Fremd is a fabulous program and I think we had them on their toes for a while so I'm proud of that."

Molly Thon (2-for-3) and Emma Oriatti (2-for-4) each had doubles for the Pats (2-4).

Oriatti and center fielder Vera Pflugradt, who made some nice defensive plays, had back-to-back RBI singles in the fifth inning.

Thon helped trigger the Pats' 2-run fifth inning with a single to left with one out. She then had an RBI double down the left field line in the sixth.

"She (Thon) did really well at the plate," Vikartofsky said. "Molly has been coming along really well for us."