Youngsters pitch N. Stars to sweep of Rosary
A pair of Amandas -- Engel and Ciran, two underclass pitchers on the St. Charles North softball team -- combined for 19 strikeouts against nonconference Rosary in a doubleheader sweep in Aurora.
Engel, the sophomore, struck out 9 in the 2-1 win in Game 1 and Ciran, the freshman, fanned 10 in the 6-3 victory over the Royals in Game 2 Saturday.
"Sweet," St. Charles North coach April Stary said of the 19 strikeouts. "That makes it easier on our defense."
While Engel (3-1) sparkled on the mound in the first game, Taylor Russell did damage at the plate after she went 3-for-3 and tallied the only two RBI for the North Stars (10-2).
Russell's RBI double in the fourth allowed Natalie Capone to score after leading off with a bunt. Capone scored again in the fifth after an RBI single from Russell.
"I was just looking to get on because I've been in a slump for a bit," Russell said.
Rosary (5-7) made a nice comeback attempt in the seventh after Andrea DeKing led off with a single and scored on Ali Keenum's ground out RBI. The tying run, Courtney Classen, was on third with one out, but no one could get her home.
Rosary pitcher Kylie Schalz (3-3) took the tough loss, despite striking out 11 batters and allowing just one walk.
In the second game Ciran improved to 3-0 after holding Rosary to just one hit through 5 innings.
"Aside from (West Aurora pitcher Sam) Arenkill, (Ciran) is the best pitcher we've faced this season," Rosary coach Tara Tattersall said.
The Royals used that hit -- a bunt by Andrea DeKing -- to score the first run of the game in the second inning, when Colleen VanBogaert scored on a dropped third strike.
The North Stars, however, broke through in the sixth inning after they scored 4 runs on 2 hits, 2 walks and an error.
After Rosary responded with a run in the top of the sixth, St. Charles North upped the lead to 6-2 in the seventh, thanks to an RBI double from Jackie Devitt.
Just like the first game, the Royals made a comeback in the final inning, but only got one run across when Karli Simmons, who was pinch running for Audra Masters after she doubled, scored. Rosary left 2 stranded on base.