Wrap: Batavia, Geneva both win big
The Batavia baseball team (7-3, 4-1) opened with 11 runs in the first inning and scored multiple runs in three of the next four innings on their way to a 25-2 win over DeKalb.
Alex Beckman went 3-for-3 and scored 4 runs. Tim Drish also had 3 hits and scored 3 runs. Jordan Coffey improved to 4-0 on the mound.
Geneva 21, Hampshire 10:ŒAn 11-run second inning helped Geneva to an easy victory over Hampshire Friday.
Dan Rowe led the 19-hit attack by going 4 for 4 with 2 home runs and 6 RBI.
Ryan Adams also hit a home run and A.J. Sarantopulos had 2 doubles in support of winning pitcher Justin Doty (4 strikeouts, 1 walk).
Geneva is 8-2 and next hosts Yorkville on Monday.
Softball
Wheaton North 7, Geneva 2:ŒDeidre Phalon and Reggie Rizzo both had RBI in the Vikings' loss Friday.
Kelly McCaffrey too the loss for the Vikings (4-4) despite only allowing 3 earned runs.
St. Francis 6, Driscoll 5:ŒIn a Suburban Catholic Conference softball contest that contained plenty of extra-base hits, it took an infield single to win the game.
St. Francis' Monica Mraz beat out an infield hit to score Emily Karpinski from third base with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning, lifting the host Spartans past Driscoll 6-5 Friday in Wheaton.
"It was nice that Monica did it," St. Francis coach Ralph Remus said. "She's a senior and one of our captains. It's just appropriate for her to win a big conference game for us. I was real happy for her."
With one out in the bottom of the seventh, Karpinski got St. Francis (4-4, 1-0) going with a double, her team's fourth of the game. She advanced to third on Jenny Eldridge's groundout.
That brought up Mraz, who hit the ball hard back up the middle. Driscoll pitcher BreAunna Medinger got a glove on it and the ball deflected to shortstop Mary Sullivan, who fired to first, but Mraz was called safe on a close play.
"I knew I hit it to the pitcher and I was kind of nervous that she caught it at first, then I saw it dribble past her a little and I just ran as fast as I could," Mraz said.
"She's a tall girl, but once she gets going she really can fly," Remus said.
Highlanders coach Nick Christopher thought Mraz was out.
"What are you going to do, you know?" Christopher asked. "It was a nice game, though, by both sides."
The first inning was eventful.
Driscoll (5-7, 0-3) took the lead in the top of the first on Tarah McShane's 2-run triple.
St. Francis answered with 4 runs in the bottom of the inning. Maddie Blecha's 2-run double put the Spartans ahead 3-2 and Kelcey Fabianski's RBI double made it 4-2.
Driscoll tied the game in the top of the third on Maggie Writt's picturesque 2-run homer over the left-field fence.
It was Writt's third home run of the year. She also has a team-high 11 RBI.
"Maggie's been red hot," Christopher said.
St. Francis moved back ahead on Blecha's RBI single in the bottom of the third.
Driscoll tied the game again on Gina Savatski's RBI single in the sixth.
Freshman Taylor Ronchetto earned her first victory with 3½ innings of relief. She allowed only 1 hit.
"She did a very good job," Remus said.
-- Dave Miller
Men's baseball
Kishwaukee 9-4, Waubonsee 0-7:ŒAfter managing just three hits in the opener, the Chiefs collected 10 hits in the second game. In the sixth inning of Game 2, Branden Robbins had an RBI triple. For the game, he went 3-for-4 with a stolen base. Ryan Wagner won his second game and Derek Kopko picked up his third save.