Softball: St. Edward 2nd, Hampshire 3rd at Chicagoland Challenge
St. Edward senior right-hander Lindsay Zdroik was battling the flu Saturday when the Green Wave hosted the 15th annual Chicagoland Challenge softball tournament at Anderson Park in Campton Hills.
Future St. Edward opponents might not want to see Zdroik get healthy, because what she did while playing sick some might term sick.
The Valparaiso recruit pitched 11 innings, allowing just 7 hits while recording 22 strikeouts and only 1 walk. With a bat in her hand, she was 7-for-11 with 3 home runs - one in each game - 2 doubles and 10 RBI as she led her team to a second-place finish for the second straight year.
After beating Harvard 18-7 and Hampshire 7-2, the Green Wave (6-3) fell 4-2 to Rockford East in the championship game.
"I definitely think we've improved since the beginning of the season," said Zdroik. "We have a few more things to improve on."
While Zdroik is clearly St. Edward's workhorse and best chance in the circle for her team to win, she got ample support Saturday from junior Emily Stapay and freshman Jessica Kramp.
Stapay earned the complete-game win against Harvard and Kramp started the championship game. Despite allowing Rockford East (5-5) all of its runs, Kramp's emergence as another option in the circle will help keep Zdroik fresh for the stretch run next month.
"It's good to get them in and for me to stay loose," said Zdroik, who pitched the final 4 innings, striking out 6 and allowing 3 hits.
Against Hampshire Zdroik was masterful, striking out 16 with only 1 walk and 4 hits allowed.
The Wave hammered out 25 hits in their first two games before being held to 5 against Rockford East, which was playing in the tournament for the first time.
Devyn Ernst (2B, RBI), Stapay (2 hits), Allison Stratman (2B, 2 RBI), Kramp (2 hits, 3 RBI), Sarah Mendoza (2 RBI), Mallory Rejman (2 hits, 2B, RBI) and Rachel Lesh (2 hits, RBI) led the offense against Harvard.
The hot bats continued in the win over Hampshire. In addition to Zdroik going 3-for-3 with a home run, double and 4 RBI, Stratman had 3 hits with 2 doubles and 2 RBI and Kramp added 2 hits and an RBI.
But then St. Edward met up with Rockford East freshman Grace Berlage who, along with help from a stellar defense, shut the Wave down in the title game.
Zdroik's 2-run homer in the first inning staked the Wave to a 2-0 lead but the E-Rabs got to Kramp for 4 runs in the third and Berlage allowed St. Edward just 3 singles the rest of the way. She only had 2 strikeouts but her teammates made several good defensive plays that kept St. Edward from mounting any scoring threats.
"The girls were so emotional for the Hampshire game because they know so many of those kids that we just had a little letdown," said first-year St. Edward coach Paul Netzel. "Rockford East did a great job and their pitcher kept us off balance but we weren't playing at the level we were in the semifinal."
Netzel was pleased with not only the day but the week as his team finally got a full week of games in.
"It's been a good week," he said. "We played eight games in six days and we have a number of young girls who are getting experience. I'm pleased with where we're at right now."
As is first-year Hampshire coach Kelly Wasilewski, whose team bounced back from the St. Edward loss to beat Illiana Christian 8-4 in the third-place game. The Whip-Purs (9-4) defeated Elmwood Park 16-0 in the opening round as Ellie Lapi homered twice and had 7 RBI and Peyton DeChant homered.
Senior Joslyn Nelson and sophomore Jasmine Lopez performed admirably in the circle for the Whips.
"When you go 2-1 it's not so bad," said Wasilewski, whose team returns to Fox Valley Conference action at Prairie Ridge Monday. "I was a little disappointed in how we came out in the third game but they picked it up toward the end of the game.
"We're still making adjustments but their hitting has been great and their baserunning has been great. Both Joslyn and Jasmine have stepped up and they did a great job today. They really feed off each other."