Softball: Neuqua Valley rallies to defeat Metea Valley

With a couple of youngsters smacking home runs, first-year Neuqua Valley softball coach Christina Frontera picked up her first varsity win, 7-5 Monday at Metea Valley.

The visiting Wildcats fell behind 4-2 after Mustangs leadoff hitter Sydney Bajusz belted a grand slam to center field in the second inning. The Mustangs increased the lead 5-2 in the third when catcher Kara Leckinger sent a pitch over the fence in left field.

But Neuqua Valley also hit a pair of home runs on Monday, including sophomore Lauren Notestine's shot to open the sixth inning that broke a 5-5 tie and proved to be the game-winner. The Wildcats (1-2, 1-0 DuPage Valley Conference) added an insurance run later in the sixth and relief pitcher Julia Rainer shut things down from there to pick up the win.

"Tie game, I'm just in there thinking not to get ahead of myself and just to help the team," said Notestine, a third baseman. "I wanted to make sure I hit it. Yep, it felt great."

While the Wildcats infielder delivered the game-winning blow, it was fellow sophomore Zoe Herdman who did the most damage. She gave Neuqua a quick 2-0 lead with a home run to center in the first inning that also scored Danielle Olson, whose 2-hit single was the game's first hit. Herdman's 2-run single to right in the fifth inning gave her 4 RBI on the day and helped the visitors draw even at 5-5.

"I think it was a good team effort on both parts. But we just fought through," said Herdman, who pitched the first three innings before giving way to Rainer, who blanked the Mustangs for the final four innings. "For me, my first home run of the season, it was just an epic feeling."

Bajusz and the Mustangs were the ones feeling pretty good early on. The 2-0 deficit quickly turned to a lead in the bottom of the second. Megan Arcivar and Megan Archey each singled and then with two outs, No. 9 hitter Fran Senese worked the count full before walking to load the bases.

Bajusz, who also had a deep double in the seventh, belted the first pitch she saw in the second inning over the fence for a bases-clearing blast and a 4-2 lead. When Leckinger added a homer in the third, things were looking great for Metea Valley. But Rainer held the hosts to no runs and 4 hits over the final four innings to earn the victory.

"Sydney got all of that pitch on the grand slam and Kara's was hit real well to left field," said Mustangs coach Kris Kalivas, whose squad dropped to 2-4, 0-1. "The disappointing part is when they changed to that second pitcher, our offense went stagnant. We have to be able to adjust and adjust to speed, and to hit and I don't think we did that part."

Frontera felt both teams were sharp in the errorless contest and she was thrilled to come out on top.

"It was great offense and great defense from Metea," she said. "They came out sharp. Both teams had solid 'D' and it was a great game. We're definitely a team of momentum and we pick up every time and that's what they showed today. It was a good battle and a great game to win."