Briggs, WW South shut out West Chicago
Senior pitcher Maddi Briggs did basically all she could Wednesday to continue the Wheaton Warrenville South softball team's season.
Briggs threw a 2-hitter and her first shutout of 2015.
Combined with 16 hits by the Tigers, that was more than enough for a 9-0 victory over host West Chicago in the Class 4A Bolingbrook regional quarterfinals.
The Tigers (9-23-1), the No. 17 seed in the Downers Grove South sectional, will play top-seeded Downers South (32-1) at 4:30 p.m. today in the regional semifinals. The Mustangs won their April 23 meeting 12-0 in five innings.
"I know I was trying not to be nervous and sentimental about this possibly being the last game, but it's always in the back of your head," Briggs said. "My strategy was to go at them, obviously be confident, because I know that my defense was behind me and we had the lead, which was nice to have in the first inning."
Plenty has changed since the teams' doubleheader and Tigers' season opener April 1 in The Dome at the Ballpark in Rosemont. No. 16 West Chicago (11-19-1) won the first game 8-1. The second game was tied 2-2 before being halted because of time restrictions.
Later that day at The Dome, the Tigers beat Glenbard East 12-0 behind starter Maddie Trost - their last shutout before Wednesday.
Briggs fanned seven, walked four and allowed a solid single by Raquel Donovan in the third and infield slap single by Tatiana Rich in the sixth. The Tigers also had no errors.
"Maddi's strength is her control. She's consistent. She'll keep the ball in the zone. She's able to change speeds. Today she pitched a pretty good game," WW South coach Jeff Pawlak said.
Pawlak was just as elated with the Tigers' plate approaches and ability to put the ball in play. Nos. 1 and 2 batters Maya Keating and Sydney Young each had 3 hits, and Ariana Caldarone, Molly Foy, Briggs and Trost had 2 apiece.
Keating and Young opened the game with singles and runs for a 2-0 lead. Trost tripled and Catie Hohnstein, Young and Briggs doubled.
"I usually try to put some bunts down or a soft slap to try to get the single, but the double is definitely a good feeling," Young said. "I think we're definitely on it with the hitting a lot more. I think that was the main problem (earlier for us), but our defense is a lot better, too."
West Chicago's nine seniors endured a season of misfortune. Four key players, three of them seniors, were sidelined for good by injuries. The other six seniors started Wednesday.
Team leaders and top pitchers Jenna Foreman and Amy Goldsmith were lost April 6 and April 21, respectively, to knee injuries. After Goldsmith was lost, senior Kayla Goffinet returned to pitching and handled most of the duties the rest of the way.
"Jenna did a lot for us. She stole 53 bases last year. Amy was pitching some really good games, but then she got hurt running the bases, too," West Chicago coach Kim Wallner said.
"This has kind of been the worst year that I've ever had as far as injuries, in coaching any sport. It's a shame because I know we had some high hopes with nine seniors and Amy and Jenna back. The kids have kind of gutted it out. It's kind of been disillusioning for them at times with those two out."