IC Catholic holds off Wheaton Academy

The IC Catholic Prep softball team was in control Thursday at Plunkett Athletic Complex in Elmhurst during the first four innings against Wheaton Academy.

The Warriors, however, made their presence known in the fifth and battled to the end. The Knights, however, held on to win 4-2.

The win pushed IC Catholic to 18-3 overall and 5-3 in the Metro Suburban West. Wheaton is now 9-6, 5-5.

"Our Nos. 1-9 hitters made good contact. But they need to be a little more aggressive at the plate and we did not lay down our bunts," said Knights coach Frank Reaber.

IC Catholic got started early in their half of the first. Leadoff hitter Gabby Curran walked, stole second and reached third on Josie Lytton's well-placed groundball turned infield hit. Jessica Conenna's single to right scored Curran and Lytton.

Lytton, a freshman, finished 3-for-3, and her second hit came in the second inning, scoring Georgia Mahnke, whose basehit came with two out.

IC Catholic made it 4-0 in the fourth. Again with two out, Curran got her second hit of the afternoon, a single to right, and Lytton came next to blast a double to center field that scored Curran.

The Knights seemed to have a grip on this game. That was until the fifth inning, when Wheaton Academy freshman Madison Ebeling hit a 2-run homer to make it a 4-2 game. Courtney Kinnane started the inning off reaching on an error and moved to second on Bridget Koehler's sacrfice bunt. Ebeling's homer, her third of the season, came with two out.

"We battled this team well. But we need to tighten up the defense. We'll be fine against this team," said Warriors coach Norbert Pivaronas.

The two squads meet Monday at Wheaton Academy in a rescheduled contest.

Winning pitcher Conenna went the distance, allowing just 5 hits and striking out 9.

The Warriors weren't done until the very end. They had runners on first and third when IC Catholic Prep got the final out of the game. With two out Haleigh VanWagner walked and Bridget Koehler singled to center.

Kinnane came on in relief in the third inning and struck out 3 for the Warriors.

"She was great in relief and she's been gaining steam all season," Pivaronas said.

Before the teams meet again Monday, Wheaton Academy travels to Trinity for a Saturday doubleheader. IC Catholic is off until then and is trying to keep what has helped it become an 18-3 squad going.

"It's a good feeling. We just need to keep up the good work and come ready to play," Conenna said.