Softball; West Aurora shuts out Oswego
With the one-two punch West Aurora brings in the circle this season, just a little offense would make the Blackhawks practically unbeatable.
It's early, but West Aurora looks like it will have plenty of offense.
Kallie Rundle homered in her second straight game, freshman leadoff hitter Gab Drager had another big day at the plate, and the Blackhawks rolled to their second straight win, 8-0 over previously unbeaten Oswego Monday morning in Aurora.
Rundle doubled in two runs in her first at-bat, then blasted a 2-run home run in the fourth inning. She also walked twice to finish 2-for-2 with 4 RBI.
"It's exactly what you can hope for," Rundle said of the fast start. "We've been working a lot in the off-season with my travel team (Kane County Explosion).
"It (the home run pitch) was a change-up - just wait back, keep my hands there and drive through. It felt good off the bat."
West Aurora (2-0) scored 3 runs in the first against Oswego starter Jenna Veber, a rally started when Drager lined a double to the right field gap.
The early lead was more than enough for the Blackhawks' two aces, sophomore Payton Lundberg and senior Hannah Beatus. Lundberg pitched the first four innings, allowing no hits while striking out eight. Oswego got its only hit on a bunt single in the seventh off Beatus, who struck out four in her three innings.
Through two games, the two pitchers have allowed 2 hits and 1 run while striking out 26.
"For right now we just want to give them some work, make sure they both feel comfortable heading into Tennessee," said West Aurora coach Randy Hayslett, whose team leaves at 4:30 a.m. Tuesday for the trip south where they will play the defending Tennessee 2A state champs and local foe Downers Grove South, among others.
Hayslett said the plan going forward is to rotate his two pitchers instead of using them both in the same game like he did Monday.
"It will probably be an even split (between Beatus and Lundberg) but it will probably be this will be Hannah's game as far as she can go, and this will be Payton's game as far as she can go," Hayslett said.
Oswego (2-1), who beat Naperville North and Kaneland last week, did put two runners on in the first and fourth innings - all on walks. Each time Lundberg got out of the jam with strikeouts.
West Aurora chased Veber in the third. Grace Hunger singled, Rundle walked and Lundberg helped herself with a run-scoring double. Savannah Swayze's grounder scored a run and Aislinn Strusz singled in another for a 6-0 lead.
Rundle's home run the following inning ended the scoring.
"You have to give the other team props," Oswego coach Amanda Stanton said. "They hit the crap out of the ball. Our pitchers were hitting their spots and the other team just jumped on it."
West Aurora heads to Tennessee having outscored its opposition 23-1.
"They are hitting really well," Hayslett said. "We're still trying to work in some other freshmen and juniors, see what they can do, but the top six or seven have been on so far."