West Chicago 2, Naperville Central 1
Linnea Detrick didn't even notice the stop sign third-base coach Laurie Davidson put up. Or maybe she just ignored it.
West Chicago will take either explanation.
Detrick's dash home from second base on a slowly-hit ground out to the pitcher proved the winning run in the Wildcats' 2-1, nine-inning win over Naperville Central on Monday in Naperville.
"I don't know why," said Detrick, "I just kept running. I saw it was a slow-rolling ball so I thought maybe there was a chance I could score. Luckily enough it was."
Detrick, still sporting a bruise to the knee she got innings earlier taking a foul ball, doubled with one out in the ninth off Naperville Central pitcher Natalie Wunderlich.
Chrissie Rovtar hit a slow roller to the left of the mound, and as Wunderlich fired to first for the out Detrick came home and skipped by the plate ahead of the tag.
"She's not our quickest runner," West Chicago coach Jim Schaudt said, "but she's our most aggressive and also the smartest. She took a chance. Sometimes you have to do that."
"You want to put the pressure on their defense to make a play," Detrick said.
Naperville Central (9-1, 4-1 DuPage Valley Conference), the last team to lose in conference this spring, scored first in the fourth inning.
Megan Silke doubled with one out and Stephanie Lynch blooped a run-scoring single just over the second baseman's head into right.
The Redhawks managed 9 hits off West Chicago pitcher Mary Connolly, but left 8 runners on base, 6 of those stranded at second base. Two other runners were thrown out on the bases.
Erin Graham went 3-for-4 with 2 doubles and Lynch 3-for-3 for the Redhawks.
"We had our opportunities," Redhawks coach Andy Nussbaum said, "and it was discouraging that we did not cash in on them. As many good teams as there are in the conference, you hate to give one away and I felt we did."
West Chicago (9-4, 3-1) tied the game in the fifth. Connolly doubled to lead off and with two outs the Wildcats scored on an errant Redhawks throw to first base.
Wunderlich (7-1), who struck out 30 in two DVC games last week, fanned 13 in the loss. Connolly (9-3) matched her pitch-by-pitch, striking out 12. This on the heels of four straight shutouts for the freshman.
"I'm learning about Mary just like everybody else," Schaudt said. "She's very stoic on the mound; she doesn't show her emotions. That carries over to the rest of the team."