Softball: Naperville Central stays positive, beats Naperville North
Host Naperville North owned the first four innings of Monday's softball game with Naperville Central. The Redhawks owned the last three, putting a tight grip on the contest and going home 9-3 winners.
"We're on a three-game winning streak and it's brought us back up," said winning pitcher Halle Arends. "We stayed positive and we thought the rally would come at some point. I love to see the fight in this team."
Arends allowed just four hits in the complete-game victory and struck out eight. Naperville North (4-6, 3-3 DuPage Valley Conference) scored all three of its runs in the second inning. Two Huskies hitters singled but scored on a dropped flyball. That error put a runner on base who scored on another error.
"A lot of bad things happened the first four innings and we were able to overcome them. But we have to learn to catch the ball," said Naperville Central coach Andy Nussbaum.
The Huskies held that 3-1 lead until Naperville Central (10-6, 3-3) came to bat in the fifth. With two outs Arends reached on an infield hit and Lauren Anderson singled to right. Emma Gaskin pinch-ran for her. Katlyn Allen followed with a walk and that set the stage for freshman Jacqui Abogado, who connected on a single to right that scored Arends and Gaskin to tie the game.
The Redhawks took the advantage for good with a 4-run showing in the sixth. Again, it was a freshman who made a big hit. Katie Gutsell nailed a single to left that scored Claire Busch, who also had singled, to give Naperville Central what was the winning run.
Later Anderson's single to center scored the third run. With the bases loaded Arends came home when Stacy Stark was hit by a pitch.
"It's always good to get a hit and continue a rally," Gutsell said.
An RBI double by Grace Biondo and an RBI basehit by Anderson, her third of the game, accounted for Naperville Central's final two runs in the seventh. Arends also finished with 3 hits.
Huskies starting pitcher Cami Chelich made life tough for the Naperville Central hitters during the first four innings. She allowed just four hits and only one led to a run.
"She did a good job of spacing out the hits," Nussbaum said.
Naperville North's big inning in the second started when Alexis Hilgert singled to center. Then with one out Maya Tucker singled to left to put runners on first and second. A dropped flyball, with two outs, put Callie Ladone on base and scored Hilgert and Tucker. Allison Arnold then reached on a fielding error and that scored Ladone.
Despite the loss Naperville North remains in the thick of the DVC season.
"There's growing pains and we need to learn to minimize mistakes. We need to get more two-out hits and prevent the other team from getting two-out hits," said Naperville North coach Jerry Kedziora.
The rematch between the teams is May 14 at Naperville Central.