Bartlett earns 'old school' win over Libertyville

Old school softball.

With the scores of high school softball games on the rise seemingly more every year, the nonconference game Bartlett and Libertyville played against each other on Saturday was one of those that featured good pitching and defense with just enough hitting to make it interesting.

Pinch runner Paige Jones scored what turned out to be the game-winning run on a Sarah Schmitz groundout in the fourth inning and Danielle Kirby was lights out in relief as Bartlett nipped the Wildcats 2-1 in the final game of Bartlett's triangular, which also featured each team beating Grant.

"It was an old school softball game and I enjoyed it a lot," said Libertyville coach Elissa Wisniewski of her team's battle with Bartlett. "With all the offense around now it's good to have a pitchers duel like this one."

Bartlett coach Jim Wolfsmith couldn't have agreed more.

"With 43 feet (pitching) you just don't see games like this much," he said. "It was an old-school game."

The Wildcats (18-8) took the early lead with an unearned run off Hawks' freshman Amber Pagan in the first inning. Sophomore Kenzie Rother led off by beating out an infield hit, was sacrificed to second by junior Jamie Stevens and after an infield error and a walk, Rother scored on a Sam Hilldale groundout.

After throwing a five-inning no-hitter against Grant, Wildcats' sophomore Hannah Heraty held Bartlett (16-8-1) hitless for the first two innings. But in the third, the Hawks were able to tie the game when leadoff hitter Katie Fornoff reached on a fielders choice, stole second and scored on Lauren Janczak's two-out double.

Bartlett then took a 2-1 lead in the fourth, a run produced more than anything by heads up baserunning from Pagan, who led off with a single to right then alertly went all the way to third on a sacrifice bunt from Suzie Miceli. Jones then took third as a pinch runner and scored on Schmitz's groundout to second.

"I absolutely love how we scored our runs against a quality pitcher," said Wolfsmith. "A great bunt by Suzie Miceli and great heads up baserunning by Amber Pagan then Sarah Schmitz, who has been struggling a bit, comes through with the grounder to the right side."

The rest was left to Kirby (11-6-1), who had thrown 4 innings against Grant and relieved Pagan with one out in the third against the Wildcats. All Kirby did the rest of the way was no-hit Libertyville, allowing just one baserunner with a walk to Rother in the fifth. Kirby struck out 6 and her teammates played flawless defense behind her for a team that lost two 1-run games earlier in the week.

"My inside and high pitches were working real well on my strikeout pitches," Kirby said. "We needed that intensity back that we've been lacking the past couple of games."

It was only the Hawks' third one-run win in eight such close games this season.

"All year it's been our thing with this inexperienced group," Wolfsmith said. "They're trying to learn how to win close games. That's the best game Kirby has come in to pitch all year. She was nails. Their pitcher did a great job and they are a very solid team."

Heraty allowed only 2 hits. She struck out 2 and hit a batter but issued no walks.

"Hannah did a great job," Wisniewski said. "She came out and did everything she needed to do. Not many kids are used to pitching two games in a row on the same day and she showed a lot of maturity and poise against a great hitting team."

In Bartlett's 9-0 win over Grant, Kirby allowed just 3 hits with 5 strikeouts in 4 innings of work. Elyse Hickey was 2-for-3 with 2 doubles and 2 RBI for the Hawks, while Alyssa Nowak had a double and an RBI and Kirby went 2-for-2 with an RBI.