Softball: Larkin swings past St. Edward
It was Swing for a Cure Day at Larkin High School, but for while it seemed like the Royals' Haley Bohne wouldn't even get a chance to get the bat off her shoulder.
Bohne was walked her first 3 times to the plate, but finally in the sixth inning she got a pitch to hit and drove it over the center fielder's head for an RBI double that scored Sophie Young to break a 2-2 tie.
The Royals went on to a 4-2 nonconference softball win over visiting St. Edward.
"I was just being patient and waiting for something I could hit," Bohne said. "I got that pitch inside middle right where I like it. It was a fun game and we were playing for a good cause."
The game was dedicated to Brian Smith, a longtime member of the local softball community, who passed away earlier this year after a battle with pancreatic cancer. Smith's brother Glenn was a coach at St. Edward for several years. Brian Smith's daughter, Natalie, graduated from St. Edward and later played at Elgin Community College for current Larkin coach Anne Vogt. She was also an assistant coach under Vogt at Larkin for 2 years.
The day's activities included the selling of gift basket raffle tickets, T-shirts, and bracelets with all proceeds going to a cancer charity. The Smith family participated in a pancreatic cancer awareness walk in Chicago.
"It was an important game for us," Vogt said. "It was very emotional. We wanted to make it special and we wanted to win it for the Smith family."
Larkin (6-16) got off to a shaky start and surrendered 2 unearned runs in the first inning. However, Royals starting pitcher Kiara Villa turned it around after that. Villa struck out the side in the second inning and then scattered 5 hits over the final five innings to keep the Green Wave scoreless the rest of the way.
"She kept going after them," Vogt said. "She started working the outside part of plate very effectively. She keeps getting better every time out. She throws a little stronger and a little more aggressive every game."
Mackenzie Malone had an RBI single in the fifth inning for the Royals that tied the game at 2-2. Larkin got its first run with the benefit of 3 walks and a wild pitch in the third inning.
Jessica Kramp was the tough luck starting and losing pitcher for St. Edward (7-15). Devyn Ernst, who had 3 hits in the game, had a 2-run single in the first inning for the Green Wave.
"It seems to be the story of our season," said St. Edward coach Paul Netzel. "We come close but we can't seem to finish it out. We gave up a few walks that wound up scoring and their pitcher threw nothing but strikes. That seemed to be the difference."