Softball: Metea Valley shakes off rust against Naperville North
From late March until at least late May, high school softball teams face the challenge of trying to win consistently on the field. But sometimes just getting on the field is the challenge.
Visiting Naperville North and host Metea Valley finally took the field Wednesday after weather-related time off. Both showed there were no cobwebs on their bats, but the Mustangs showed more on offense and prevailed 7-2 in the DuPage Valley Conference opener for both squads.
The Mustangs (2-5) racked up 13 hits in their first game since April 2.
"We focused on hitting on our off days," said Metea coach Kris Kalivas. "We went through streaks. We hit real well at the start and then we slumped. Today, we hit real well."
The first highlight of the contest came real quick as Janelle Honaker sent the first pitch of the game over the center-field fence to give Naperville North a 1-0 lead.
The Mustangs answered in their half of the first. Moira Danko was safe at first as part of an attempted double play. She was later walked in.
The Huskies took their final lead of the afternoon 2-1 in the second when Alexis Hilgert led off with a double to right and scored with two outs on a single by Maya Tucker.
The bottom of that inning was Metea's biggest show on offense and it would give it the lead that it never relinquished. Sam Golminas started things off with a single to center. Then with one out, Emily Nelson connected on a 2-run homer that scored Golminas.
The third run of the inning, which made it 4-2, was produced when Danko singled to right and scored on Caitlyn Serra's basehit.
"The pitch was slightly outside and high. That's my favorite pitch," Nelson said of her home run. In the fifth she was intentionally walked. Nelson said she had seen it done in traveling team competition, but it hadn't been done to her before.
Metea scored a run in the fifth. With one out winning pitcher Rissa Bajusz singled. Abby Kilgore ran for her and came home on Morgan Bond's double.
The Mustangs scored two more runs in the sixth. Emily Finger singled and scored on Madi Pfeiffer's single. Serra walked and scored on a fielder's choice. Finger finished with 3 hits.
Bajusz went the distance in getting the win. She struck out five and was determined not to get stressed out on Honaker's homer that started the game.
"It caused me to think to not let it happen again and to settle down," Bajusz said.
She also added that it was important for Metea to get a good start in DVC play by winning the league opener.
"The first conference game is important. My family was here and the team was hyped up," Bajusz said.
The Huskies fell to 0-2 with the loss, having not played since March 22 before the school's spring break. Naperville North finished with 7 hits. After Naperville North's second and final run, Emma Johannes tripled. Hilgert and Tucker racked up two hits apiece.
Huskies coach Jerry Kedziora said his team just needs to play some games.
"We hit the ball well today. We just have to put a few more hits together," he said. "Once we play some games, the girls will hit even better. As much as we try to be competitive in practice, it does not translate on the field."