Feldkamps hits, pitches Maine West past Maine East

Earlier this week, Grace Feldkamp couldn't even raise her left arm above her head.

On Thursday, she played a major role raising the Maine West softball team above .500 in the Central Suburban North.

The sophomore pitcher fired a 3-hitter with 10 strikeouts and also got the Maine West fans raising their voices with cheers by smacking a home run and a triple in the Warriors' 8-2 victory over visiting Maine East.

Feldkamp's homer was a 3-run blast over the left fielder fence which gave West (10-11, 4-3) its 8-2 final margin with no outs in the bottom of the fourth inning.

The Warriors' leadoff batter (2-for-3, walk), who was hit in the elbow by a ball on Saturday against Von Steuben Metropolitan Science Center and forced to miss one game this week, showed no ill effects on Thursday.

"We are working on getting runners on base in front her," said first-year Warriors coach Mike McGovern, pointing to Feldkamp's power to drive runs in.

"She's a five-tool player. She can run, she hits for average, hits for power, can play defense and pitch."

Feldkamp, who has 3 homers, leads the club in singles, doubles, triples and runs scored.

Her triple in the second inning was the game-winning RBI as it scored Nicole Byerly (infield single) for a 3-2 lead.

Shortstop Kayla Pociejewski followed with an RBI single to center to score Feldkamp for the 4-2 cushion.

The Warriors' other 4 runs came in the fourth. The first run was scored by freshman Allison Pearson, who had singled and came home when Byerly reached on an error, setting up Feldkamp's homer.

"We just have to focus and string hits together," Feldkamp said. "And we have to play clean defense."

Maine East (7-8, 3-4) took advantage of a bunt single, hit-batsmen, a couple of errors and a RBI single to right by Alex Villalobos to score 2 runs in the first inning.

Feldkamp did a nice job limiting the damage after the Blue Demons loaded the bases with no out.

Following Villalobos' single, Feldkamp got a nice running catch from center fielder Alyssa Pegoraro and then 2 strikeouts to get out of the inning.

Feldkamp led off the bottom of the first with a walk, sparking a 2-run rally.

Pociewjeski (2-for-4) doubled sharply to left and later came home when Annemarie Weber's grounded out to short, tying the game at 2-2.

Feldkamp gave up only one more hit, a two-out single to left by Elysia Leone in the bottom of the sixth.

Maine East coach Emiliano Hernandez played three freshman in the starting lineup (left fielder Alexis Ponzio, third baseman Alyssa Serrano and second baseman Alyssa Tintori).

"We have two injured starters," he said. "I think the game could have been closer but we let it get away from us.

"She (Feldkamp) was tough, just like the last time we faced her (7-4 loss). She gets the outs when she needs them. We need to do a lot of work. Hopefully we'll be healthy when the regionals come around."

In addition to Feldkamp and Pociejewski, junior Jordan Hart (2-for-3) also had hits for West.

Feldkamp was the game's leader in RBI with 4.

"You don't expect anyone to hit like she does," McGovern said. "She is doing a great job. Her on-base percentage leads the team at .532 and her slugging percentage is .843 (second behind Pociejewski (. 868)."