Improving Batavia takes 2nd at Fox Valley tourney
Batavia jumped on West Aurora with 4 runs in the first inning Saturday at the sixth annual Fox Valley Tournament at Stuart Sports Complex and went on to beat the Blackhawks 10-5 in the semifinals.
A few hours later under the lights Batavia again got off to a quick start with 2 first-inning runs to take the lead against Oswego in the championship game. This time the Bulldogs couldn't build on the lead, losing 5-3 to take second.
Despite the loss in the title game there was plenty for Batavia (8-6) to like including an extra-inning win over Burlington Central on Friday and avenging a loss to West Aurora.
"We've been playing good ball," Batavia coach Lupe Castellanos said. "What's been keeping us in games is our defense. Our pitchers are doing a nice job hitting spots.
"For a championship game I think it was played real well. It was a back-and-forth game. They are a good team. Overall we did a nice job. We had a chance at the end."
Batavia took a 2-0 lead against Oswego (9-7) in unusual fashion in the top of the first. Ryanne Rokos reached on an error, and Toni Galas and Rachael Lovestrand both followed with infield singles to load the bases with no outs.
Oswego turned a 6-2-3 double play to get within an out of escaping the jam scoreless. Starting pitcher Ashley Jourdan induced a roller to third off the bat of Alyssa Klemm, but the Panthers bobbled the ball and then threw off-line to first allowing 2 runs to score on the play.
"That was an excellent start," Castellanos said. "I always tell our girls to try to get the momentum on their side. They did a nice job."
Oswego scored single runs in the second and third innings to tie the game at 2. It could have been worse for Batavia but Lovestrand stranded five runners in scoring position in the first 3 innings.
"She moved the ball around, she kept the ball inside and kept them from extending their hands," Castellanos said. "This is her second year at the varsity level. Her demeanor out there you never see her too rattled, too up or too down. When she gets in those situations (with runners on base) she never gets rattled, she just makes her pitches."
The Panthers took a 3-2 lead in the fourth. They loaded the bases with three singles.
Lovestrand again almost escaped by striking out the No. 3 hitter for the second out, but a single up the middle scored the go-ahead run.
Rokos kept it a 1-run game by throwing out a runner at the plate trying to score on the base hit with a laser throw from center field.
Lovestrand tied the game in the top of the fifth. She laced a ball down the left field line and was headed to third for a triple. When the Panthers dropped the relay throw, Castellanos kept Lovestrand running around third and waved her home safely.
Oswego took the lead for good in the bottom of the inning and plated an insurance run in the sixth to lead 5-3 going into the seventh.
Batavia staged a 2-out rally in its last at-bat. Rokos singled up the middle and on a full count Galas lined a single to right.
Galas stole second to put the tying runs in scoring position before Jourdan retired Lovestrand on a popup to short.
"Their 1-2 are amazing. We had trouble getting them out," Oswego coach Denise McCance said. "We did a lot of nice things. I thought Ashley pitched a really nice game. We know we have a good team and we are just waiting to have some breakout games."
Alena Theis earned the win over McKenzie Copher in the semifinals. Trailing 5-4, Batavia scored 5 runs in the fifth to take control. Jena Bendoraits and Galas both had 3 hits.
In other tournament action, West Aurora (10-5-1) bounced back from the loss to Batavia by beating Metea Valley 10-0 in the third-place game. Yorkville defeated Burlington Central for fifth place, and Kaneland topped Rosary 15-2 in the seventh-place game.