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Softball: West Aurora downs Bartlett for 15th straight win

Cara Jimenez continued her onslaught against the Bartlett softball pitching staff on Wednesday afternoon.

One swing after Corey McCreedy gave West Aurora all the offense it would need in the top of the third inning with a 2-run triple, Jimenez parked a tape-measure home run to left-center to score her senior teammate ahead of her.

Freshman phenom Payton Lundberg also remains virtually unhittable for the red-hot Blackhawks in their most recent shutout, a 5-0 Upstate Eight Conference Valley game in Bartlett.

West Aurora (24-1, 14-0) not only remained unbeaten in conference play but also extended its winning streak to 15 straight games.

Katie Fornoff had a game-opening single in the Hawks' first inning, but it would prove to be the only base hit of the game for Bartlett (20-11, 10-4).

Jimenez connected three times for long balls last week in the Blackhawks' 4-0 victory; there was no doubt about the low missile in the Blackhawks' 12th shutout on Wednesday.

"At first my mentality (at the plate) was a little rough," Jimenez said after getting called looking by Bartlett starter Amber Pagan in the first. "She threw three straight pitches for strikes on the outside corner. (The home run) was more of a redemption hit for me."

Sarah Hansen began the Blackhawks' 4-run third inning with a sharp opposite-field double. Following a Sophia Delgado sacrifice and Hannah Beatus' free pass to first, McCreedy roped a triple down the left-field line to plate both runners.

"I saw the (Bartlett) girl in left field (momentarily) bobble the ball, so I decided, 'OK, I'm going to go for three,' " McCreedy said. "We have really good pitching and great chemistry. Everybody gets along."

It was more than enough cushion for Lundberg (5-0), who won her fifth consecutive start after receiving a battlefield promotion from the Blackhawks' underclass team.

Fighting control problems at times, Lundberg struck out 8 batters before leaving after five innings for a band concert.

"It's the first time (Lundberg) hasn't finished in double digits (in strikeouts)," West Aurora coach Randy Hayslett said. "The first time through the lineup we have a habit of gauging the (opposing) pitcher."

West Aurora catcher Carley Frauenhoff gunned down Fornoff on a failed hit-and-run after the Hawks' lone single.

Bartlett would struggle to mount any type of consistent scoring threat off the Blackhawks' prized underclassman.

Lundberg stranded Taylor Rotondo at second base when her final hitter, Sydney Quagliano, had the hardest-hit ball of the game for Bartlett - a long fly ball to center.

West Aurora ace Beatus (19-5) pitched the final two innings, surviving two runners in scoring position to polish off the latest shutout for the Blackhawks.

"Their pitching is so good, maybe down 1-0, 2-0 you have a (chance)," Bartlett coach Jim Wolfsmith said. "It's really hard to scratch out hits against (Lundberg and Beatus)."

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