Rested Wildcats recover nicely
West Chicago's softball team had only one hit in a loss to Kaneland on Tuesday.
So coach Jim Schaudt gave his squad a day off Thursday to get ready for Friday's nonconference tilt against Wheaton Academy.
The rest did wonders.
The Wildcats pounded out 21 hits in a 16-0, five-inning win over the Warriors, including 4 home runs.
"We showed our bats today," said West Chicago freshman pitcher Mary Connolly, who hit her third home run of the season in addition to throwing a no-hitter. "We had one hit against Kaneland on Tuesday. I think everyone just came back with a vengeance and got back out there."
West Chicago (4-2) got started right away, with its first six hitters reaching base. The Wildcats scored 6 runs in the inning, including a 2-run triple from first baseman Chrissie Rovtar. Linnea Detrick led off the second with the first of her 2 home runs in a 3-run second.
Detrick and Connolly each hit 2-run home runs in a 6-run third and Rovtar pounded a solo home run in the fourth.
"We're a pretty good hitting team this year," said Schaudt, whose team hit only one home run all of last season. "We've already hit a few home runs. Obviously, we were right on (Wheaton Academy freshman Paige Huizenga's) pitches today. They were all earned today with the wind. We've got some pretty good hitters in the middle of our lineup, a lot of power. They didn't miss the pitches, as you could tell."
It was a tough outing for Huizenga, who, is navigating her first varsity season in the circle for the Warriors (2-3-1).
"She's a freshman pitcher and she's fantastic, but she's still learning the ropes," first-year Wheaton Academy coach Rachel Brooke said. "A team like that, no matter what kind of pitching you have, they're going to hit off of you."
Connolly (4-2) took care of the rest in the pitcher's circle for West Chicago. She retired the first nine batters of the game, striking out seven of them. Biz Wright drew a lead-off walk in the fourth to ruin the perfect game, but that was the only baserunner Connolly allowed. She struck out 11 in the win.
"She's a freshman, so she's had her ups and downs, but mostly ups so far," Schaudt said. "She can be dominating, and I think she will be as she gets older. She has a lot of poise for a freshman. If you told her she had a no-hitter, I bet she wouldn't even know it."
Brooke was surprised after the game to hear that Connolly was indeed a freshman after the performance she had against the Warriors.
"We haven't seen pitching that fast yet," Brooke said. "We weren't quite ready for that kind of pitching, but we were starting to get our bats on the ball a little bit toward the end of the game. They'll probably be one of the best teams we face all year."