Softball: Wingerter winding up

Hersey coach Molly Freeman wanted to see her offense be a little more aggressive at the plate.

"We've been a little shy to swing the bat," Freeman said. "I felt we had been taking a few too many pitches lately. And when we swing, we are hitters. That's when the magic happens."

Katie Wingerter certainly had the magic wand on Tuesday.

With still nearly half the season left, she tied her own single-season school record for home run.

Wingerter belted a 3-run shot over the right center fence with two outs in the bottom of the second inning and the Huskies went on to post an 11-1 five-inning triumph over visiting Palatine in the Mid-Suburban League crossover.

The Northern Illinois recruit was hardly through for the day. She almost broke her own home run record on a 2-0 pitch in the fourth.

Wingerter hit a two-out double off the center field fence driving in her third run of the game and giving the Huskies an 8-0 lead.

Classmate Kaitlyn Denten (2-for-3, 3 RBI) followed with a 2-run single for a 10-0 cushion.

Palatine scored in the top of the fifth on senior Kenzie Craver's two-out double to left center which scored her sophomore pitcher Maddie Craver .

Hersey started the bottom of the inning with a single by Jackie Bednar before Maddie Flynn bunted and reached safely on an error.

A walk to Sofia Cano loaded the bases before Makayla Tsagalis (2-for-3) reached base for the fourth straight time (this time on an error) and the final run crossed the plate.

Hannah Graff also had 2 infield hits for Hersey which evened its record 10-10 and raised its mark in the East to 6-5, 1½ games behind front-runner Elk Grove (7-3).

"We're getting there," Wingerter said."Our bats are coming along. We've just got to lock down on the defensive end. When we do that, we can win even more games.

"We're a young team (first baseman Kim Labahn is the only senior). I think everyone is a leader on the team. We all bring something. It's a good mix."

The Huskies hopes to stay in the mix for the East crown.

"Heading into the second half of conference play we are sitting where we want to be," said Freeman, whose team lost 7-4 at Elk Grove two weeks ago. "On any given day, you never know. I feel like we are playing well. We are excited with where we are right now."

Bailitz is now 6-6 after giving up 3 hits and striking out one in the first four innings. She retired the side in order in the first and fourth innings.

Hersey freshman Brianna Luciano worked the final inning.

Palatine (8-11, 5-5) finished with 4 hits, two apiece from Kenzie Carver (2-for-3, RBI) and junior Megan Breytenbach (2-for-2). Junior Brooke Bauer's leadoff single to right in the second inning was the Pirates' other hit.