Softball: Larkin takes it to rival Elgin

Larkin's Gloria Stoltz was long overdue for a big hit. The junior has been mired in a slump the past few weeks while battling her way back from injuries and surgery on her on her wisdom teeth.

On Wednesday she snapped out of it in a big way with a hard hit bases-loaded triple to the right-center field fence. It was the highlight of a 9-run fourth inning for the Royals' softball team, who went on to a 5-inning route of crosstown rival Elgin 12-0 in Upstate Eight River Division action.

"I've been waiting for that for a while," Stoltz said. "I missed a lot of time and I've been struggling at the plate since coming back. But I've been going to the cages a lot and trying to work my way back. I kept envisioning getting a big hit. So this felt great. I got a pitch perfectly down the middle and I knew I just had to hit it."

Stoltz also had a sacrifice fly in the third inning to give her 4 RBI in the game.

"When she got to third base on her triple she told me I really needed that," Larkin coach Anne Vogt said. "And she really did. She has been working so hard to come back. She's been hitting the ball but she has been getting around late on everything. So she has been working on her bat speed. It was great to see her get a big hit at in a big part of the game."

The Royals (7-16, 3-8) scored single runs in each of the first 3 innings before blowing it open in the fourth. Haley Bohne walked in the first inning and after 2 walks she scored from third base on a wild pitch. Sophie Young added an RBI single in the second inning.

"We had great energy from the start," Vogt said. "We really wanted to come out strong and push some runs across early and we got right down to business."

Kiara Villa had another solid pitching performance for the Royals. She pitched a 2-hit shutout while walking just 2 batters and striking out 5.

"She did a great job again and keeps getting better," Vogt said. "When we first had her start pitching she was like I'll do it if you need me to. But now she is really stepping up and working on getting better. Her speed has picked up a lot and she is working in more and more change-ups."

Elgin (1-20, 1-10) has dropped all 3 of its games against Larkin this year.

"We are just struggling right now defensively and offensively," Elgin coach Jenna Szabo said. "The only thing we can do is keep working hard to get better. We are hitting the ball some. We just need to find more gaps."