Softball: WW South hitters show versatility against Glenbard West
From small ball to long ball and back.
Wheaton Warrenville South used a little small ball to spark its offense Saturday morning against Glenbard West, then turned to the long ball to help bust off a 6-run fifth inning and pull off a come-from-behind 12-5 nonconference softball defeat of the Hilltoppers.
Glenbard West (1-8) led 5-3 after three innings and 5-4 after four before the Tigers banged out 6 runs and 7 hits in the bottom of the fifth in Game 1 of a doubleheader at Atten Park in Wheaton. Madelyn Trost started the inning with a double to the left-field wall, and Sydne Shattuck knocked a double over the center fielder's head to tie the game at 5-5.
The Tigers also won Game 2 7-0.
Michelle Bresingham followed with a 2-run homer to center to put the Tigers ahead for good, 7-5. The hosts' offense kept up the pressure from there, using four singles and a sacrifice bunt to score three more times as 11 Tigers batted in the fifth. They added two more runs in the sixth to seal the victory.
"It was really nice. They're a good team so it's nice to stay strong the whole game," said Shattuck, who picked up the win in relief after blanking the Hilltoppers for 4⅔ innings.
"It's good to have variety (on offense) and keep the other team on their toes. Hopefully, we stay on this high and just keep working."
Bresingham, who was 2-for-4 in the opener, was looking for a pitch in her zone when she batted in the fifth inning with the score tied.
"It was a 2-0 count so I was looking for a pitch in a spot," she said. "And then we kept the bats going. We didn't slow up, which is really great to see. It was a great team win. We all pitched in and it turned out great for us."
For Glenbard West, the first half of the game was just fine. Amanda Posegay and Lexi Gregule each singled and scored in the first, with Katherine Porter starting her big day at the plate with an RBI double for a quick 2-0 lead.
The Hilltoppers added two more runs in the second -Posegay again singled and scored - and Porter's home run in the third made it a 5-3 lead for the visitors. The Glenbard West second baseman also lined a single in the seventh to finish 3-for-4. But Shattuck took over on the mound and prevented Glenbard West from scoring again and allowing her team a chance to rally for the win.
"That's what we need to overcome. We've been playing four solid innings the last couple games, now we need to learn how to finish it," Glenbard West coach Mary McGrane said. "(Learn) how we keep our composure and bounce back, whether it's an error or it's a big hit.
"We need to bounce back and say, hey, we've got the next one."
The Tigers talented trio of slap hitters came up big as leadoff hitter Kaya Keating had 2 hits, 2 walks and an RBI squeeze bunt, and Madison Marcheschi and Sydney Young combined to reach base 5 times.