Wauconda 6, Warren 4

As a veteran outfielder, Amanda Pausa claims she's well aware of what to do when a softball is hit at her.

"The first rule is to go one step back," Wauconda's junior center fielder said.

So what did Pausa do when, with runners on second and third and one out in the second inning Wednesday, Warren's Stephanie Youngman hit a bullet at her?

She took one step forward.

"I went against my mechanics and my fundamentals," Pausa said with a sheepish grin. "But I recovered. It was hit or miss. (The catch) was lucky."

Wauconda's 6-4 win over visiting Warren in the North Suburban Conference crossover hiked the Bulldogs' record to 10-7, equaling their win total of last season.

Like Pausa's over-the-head grab that robbed Youngman and likely saved at least 2 runs from scoring, the Bulldogs have been more good than lucky this season.

"This year we have a lot of talent," Pausa said. "We all play travel, we all dedicate our time to softball. There's not one person on this team who's a bench-warmer."

Pausa's savvy paid off both in the field and at the plate against Warren (11-9), which has lost three straight after winning seven in a row.

After her defensive gem helped pitcher Kayla Stos get out of the second unscathed, keeping the score 1-0 in Wauconda's favor, Pausa came up with the key hit in the Bulldogs' half of the inning.

One-out base hits by Michele Meyer and Alex Manusos and a walk by Kendra Wedl loaded the bases. Kate Martino followed with an RBI single.

The left-swinging Pausa then hit a shot into center field. The ball skipped past Warren's star center fielder Alex Booker and Pausa turned on the jets. She scored standing up, increasing the lead to 6-0.

"Booker's a great outfielder and a little hop's not (usually) going to get her," Wauconda coach Tim Rennels said. "She was coming hard. They were playing in on the slap, and Amanda can slap, but in that instance we didn't have her (slap-hitting). (Warren) didn't adjust."

Pausa could empathize with Booker.

"There's a lift out in center, and it just bounced right over her," Pausa said.

The same thing, in fact, happened to Pausa in the fifth. A sharp single by Sam Berrios skipped past her, allowing a run to score.

Darn outfield lift again?

"No, that was just my bad," Pausa said. "I won't lie."

After Pausa's game-breaking hit, Warren coach Carri Nichols replaced tough-luck starting pitcher Kayla Hurd (1½ innings pitched, 2 earned runs) with Berrios, who dominated.

Berrios didn't allow a hit in 4¿ innings, striking out eight and not walking a batter.

"The plan was to not use her at all," Nichols said. "We brought her in because she pitched very well (Tuesday against Stevenson), and we just wanted to make sure (Wauconda) wasn't going to keep scoring."

Kellie Kraft (double) and Emma Zupec were both 2-for-3 for Warren, while Jenna Anderson roped an RBI double. Kraft singled with one out in the seventh, but the sophomore Stos got the final two outs with her first strikeouts of the game.

Stos allowed only 1 earned run. She got defensive help from third baseman Rachel Hughes, who made a couple of nice plays, and shortstop Martino, who threw out a runner at home on an attempted double steal.

"We've got an athlete at every spot," Rennels said. "And now the girls really believe they can play with anybody."