St. Charles North rallies for win…twice
The games in the doubleheader between the St. Charles North and Glenbard East softball teams were eerily similar Saturday.
Both games were pitcher's duels, and neither team scored until the sixth inning in each game. The Rams scored first both times, only to have the North Stars rally from behind and win.
At the end of the day, the North Stars won both outings 4-3 and 2-1 in St. Charles and improved to 3-0 overall.
"For (our second and third games out) this year, I am not upset by anything that went on today," St. Charles North coach April Stary said. "I'm pretty pleased they managed to come back because last year, that seemed to be a problem."
"It's really good to know our team can come together like that," St. Charles North's Christine Roggemann added. "It's good to have a 3-0 start this year and start the season on a strong note."
The first pitcher's duel began with Glenbard East's Abby Petersdorf and St. Charles North's Amanda Engel, who was making her varsity debut on the mound in Game 1. The sophomore finished with 12 strikeouts and allowed 5 hits. The Rams' ace didn't allow any walks and gave up just a pair of hits through 5 innings.
"She is very focused," Stary said of Engel. "She's got a bunch of pitches where if they are working, they are working."
The Rams reached base 4 times through the first five innings, but didn't score until the 3-run, 3-hit sixth inning, led by RBI from Alyssa Gianatasio, Brittany Cardott and Petersdorf.
The North Stars, however, produced a similar sixth inning, with 3 runs and 3 hits as well and RBI from Taylor Russell, Kristin Damm and Natalie Capone.
Capone was also responsible for the game-winning RBI, as her single with 2 outs drove in the winning run in the seventh inning. She finished the day with 3 hits.
The offense stalled for both teams again in Game 2 until Glenbard East (1-5-1) scratched a run across in the sixth after an RBI from Nikki Fairbarn.
Megan Shannon started the game on the mound for the Rams, but after allowing 3 hits and 3 walks, Petersdorf was called in relief at the start of the sixth inning.
The North Stars scored 2 runs and tallied 3 hits, including the clutch 2-run single from Roggemann. That was her second hit of the day.
"You play a whole great game of defense, and then you have that one bad inning, and that's it, both games," Glenbard East coach Valerie Pinzker said. "But it's still early in the season."
St. Charles North starter Amanda Ciran made her first varsity start of the season and earned the win after allowing 5 hits, 2 walks and fanning six batters.