Softball: Hersey stays hot in home opener

Playing its home opener on Friday, defending Mid-Suburban East softball champion Hersey shook off the cold weather and continued its hot start to the new season.

Junior pitcher Sarah Bailitz raised her record to 3-0 by tossing a 3-hitter with 7 strikeouts in a 6-2 win over Niles West.

"It's been really good," Bailitz said of the Huskies' opening week in which they took third place at Barrington's Spring Fling. "A lot of people might not have thought we'd be as good as last year with a lot of key players graduating but I'm really proud of how everyone has stepped up."

Bailitz also stepped up in the batter's box on Thursday, delivering a 2-run, one-out homer over the left-center field fence to break a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Bailitz also had a double in her 2-for-4 performance with 2 RBI and 2 runs.

Other multiple hitters for the Huskies (3-1)were junior Chloe Gordon (3-for-3), junior Makayla Tsagalis (2-for-3), junior Brianna Luciano (2-for-3) and junior Renae Curtis (2-for-3).

Freshman Neti Napoli, brought up to the varsity on Friday, made an immediate impact by producing a key 2-run single in the fourth inning which put the Huskies in front 2-0.

"For as cold as it was this week, I'm really happy with how the girls played," said Hersey coach Molly Freeman. "It takes a lot of guts to play in this weather. I thought the girls were outstanding. They didn't complain and swung the bats well."

Bailitz also notched wins over Lake Zurich and Maine West this week.

"I thought I was hitting my spots pretty well this game," she said. "I got some groundballs and my defense got a lot of big outs when we needed them. It was a great team win and I was proud of how we kept grinding the whole game."

St. Charles East 11, Schaumburg 3: The Saxons were led on offense by senior Rachel Kissamis, who went 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles. Tiffani Rudnik, Janalee Lyke and Ashleigh Felde each had 1 hit for the hosts in their season opener.