Softball: Downers Grove South beats Willowbrook

Pitching away from a slugger is often a sound strategy, but with Downers Grove South's Caroline Hedgcock, there might not be any safe place to throw a softball.

The Mustangs senior belted a pair of opposite-field home runs Wednesday, going 3-for-3 with 3 RBI and 3 runs scored in a 12-0, 5-inning defeat of Willowbrook. The all-stater now has 16 long balls this spring, most of which have sailed over the right-field wall.

"I think I've hit, like, two to the left side all year," said Hedgcock, a talented pitcher who was the Mustangs' designated player in Wednesday's lineup in Downers Grove. "Right side is usually where I go."

In the top of the first, Hedgcock's 2-run blast sailed way over the fence in right and brought home Kristen Lea, who had singled. Downers Grove South (23-3, 10-0) had 5 runs on 6 hits while batting around in the first inning, and then matched those figures again in the second innings for a quick 10-0 lead.

The Arkansas-bound Hedgcock singled to right and scored in the big second inning, then led off the third by taking a low, outside pitch and blasting a towering home run to right center, making the score 11-0.

"She's been on a roll. She's almost hit a home run in, like, nine of the last 10 games," Mustangs coach Ron Havelka said. "It's unbelievable. She's become an outstanding hitter. She's got good patience. She has a great opposite-field swing. She'll go with it that way. She's good at that."

Hedgcock led an attack that belted out 15 hits before making an out in the third inning. Shortstop Megan LoBianco had 3 hits and 3 runs after just three innings. The explosion was vastly more than Mustangs pitcher Payton Buresch needed to improve to 13-2 on the year. Buresch took a no-hitter into the fifth inning before Willowbrook's Jiana Funteas doubled just inside the right field line to start the fifth.

"I thought I was throwing pretty good today. My curveball was working really well and I was focused on getting ahead and working on my curve and my rise," said Buresch, who settled for a 1-hitter while striking out 11 Warriors in 5 innings. "My team has been great about getting a lot of runs early and it takes away the pressure. So I can relax more o the mound."

Willowbrook coach Rachel Karos has seen plenty of Mustangs all-staters Hedgcock and Lea the last few seasons and knew Wednesday's contest would be tough. The Warriors (12-12, 5-5) lost 10-0 in 5 innings to Downers South earlier this season.

"You know it's going to be tough against them," Karos said. "It's hard to get outs. They're good hitters and they're solid through and through. It's almost like the Cubs right now. If you don't pitch to him you have to pitch to her. They're solid, but it's still fun to play them."