Softball: Montini outfielders make plays in win vs. Benet
The Montini softball team's offense was productive during Saturday morning's 5-0 win over Benet in the Class 3A Benet regional final.
The Broncos' defense has always been a team strength also, but against the Redwings it took a step up, which was important. Benet hit the ball hard, and to judge the Redwings just by their record would be to invite defeat.
"Our outfield made some great plays. They did a great job of listening to the scouting report and played where they were supposed to. They took away some hits. The infield did a great job," said Montini coach Mike Bukovsky.
Left fielder Tia Sondej, center fielder Emily Alexander and right fielder Alyssa Filkowski started in the outfield for the Broncos.
Montini (25-7), seeded second in the St. Francis sectional, heads there next for a Wednesday semifinal against third-seeded Fenwick. The Friars beat Chicago Noble Muchin on Saturday to win the Fenwick regional final.
Home plate was absent of footprints for the first inning and a half. That changed in the bottom of the second. The first two Montini hitters struck out and then second baseman Lauren Latoria came to the plate. With the count 2-0 she connected on a pitch that left no doubt it was going over the fence.
"I was looking for an inside pitch. It was high, but I've been working at staying on top of the ball," she said.
It's been an eventful time for the sophomore since Montini won the Class 3A title last year.
She suffered a hip injury during the state semifinals. Three months of physical rehabilitation didn't heal the injury. Latoria had surgery last October and finally returned to play midway through this season.
The blast sparked the Broncos' offense, and they were not through. The following inning saw Sam Ferruzza lead off with a walk and move to second on a fielding error, which put Alexander on base. Then with two outs Naomi Alonzo singled to center, which scored Mady Rawski, who was running for Ferruzza, the catcher.
Montini made it 3-0 in the fourth. Serena Almodovar led off with a walk. Two batters later Elyse Spaccapaniccia hit a sacrifice fly that scored Almodovar.
It was a 2-run fifth inning for the Broncos. Alexander doubled to left and Nikki Cuchran walked. A single to left by Alonzo scored Alexander and a sacrifice fly from Bri Clifton scored Cuchran.
Clifton was the winning pitcher. She allowed four hits and struck out five. She pitched well during the first two innings but sandwiched strikeouts between a single from Allison Regan in the third and appeared to take a step up further. She allowed just one runner each in the third and fourth innings and set the Benet lineup down in order the following two innings.
"I felt great and it's great to know I have a strong defense behind me," Clifton said. "I really felt I was spinning the ball more, throwing harder and being more aggressive (from the third inning on)."
The sixth-seeded Redwings (11-23) continued to battle in their last trip to the plate, but the Montini outfield came up with two outs and assisted on another. Alexander caught a flyball and threw to Latoria to tag a runner trying to get back to second for a double play.
Allie Goettsch doubled and Meagan McCormick and Elena Stevenson each had basehits for the other Benet runs.
As Benet walked off the field for the final time this season, the future looked bright.
"We're still a young team. We played well today," coach Jerry Schilf said. "We have seven starters coming back, including our pitchers, and I had a freshman on the bench.
"Last year we just won five games and got slaughtered in about half of them. This year we never got slaughtered and we were in every game."