Naperville Central wins race to finish against Naperville North
Like drivers battling for the top spot on a race track, the race is a tight one for the DuPage Valley Conference softball title. Naperville Central helped itself with a 2-1 home victory in 11 innings Monday over Naperville North.
Winning pitcher Julie Kestas connected on a single to right in the bottom of the 11th to score Abbey Place, who made it to second on a two-base fielding error.
Going into the game, the Redhawks, Huskies and Wheaton North each had a DVC mark of 4-2. The Falcons beat Glenbard North 5-3 on Monday, leaving Wheaton North and Naperville Central atop the DVC.
The Redhawks (12-7) have one more contest remaining against Naperville North this season and two more against Wheaton North, including one Wednesday. Naperville North also faces the Falcons two more times.
Those involved in Monday's contest realized early that it was going to be a close game.
"Naperville North is a great offensive team. They're a great defensive team and we knew it was going to be a tough game and we had to come out on all cylinders," Kestas said.
Kestas (10-4) and Naperville North starting pitcher Alex Hanselman were most of the reason why the game unfolded like it did. Kestas allowed 9 hits over 11 innings and struck out 15.
Her biggest challenge came in the fourth. Hits by the Huskies' Alexis Solak and Dani Biesiada helped load the bases with no outs. Kestas then got the next two hitters to strike out, and then a force out at home brought the third out.
"It all happened so quick. It was a personal challenge. But I had confidence in the defense and my catcher, Abbey Place," Kestas said.
The lone run for the Huskies (12-10) came in the fifth inning. Hanselman led off with a single to left, and with two outs, Solak doubled to center to score Hanselman.
Like Kestas, Hanselman was strong all 11 innings, allowing 7 hits and striking 3. She set the Redhawks down in order during five innings. In the fifth she got some help thanks to a highlight video-worthy over-the-shoulder catch of a flyball by left fielder Kelsey Warren.
"Alex moved the ball around and she was throwing hard, moving inside and out," said Huskies coach Jerry Kedziora.
With the Huskies ahead 1-0 after five innings, the Redhawks were running out of time to get back in the game. In the seventh Lisa Tassi reached on an error. Two outs later, Caitlyn Patton's single scored Tassi.
"I thought Kestas was tremendous. The fourth was a huge inning," said Naperville Central coach Andy Nussbaum. "And we scratched and clawed to get that first run. That was a big hit by Caitlyn Patton."
Nussbaum said Kestas' game-winning hit in the 11th was her fouirth game-winning RBI of the season.