Alleycats defend title at Summer bash

Finishing play 7-0 at the Lightning Summer Bash held at the Elgin Sports Complex, the Illinois Alleycats captured a second consecutive championship title.

Six straight wins vaulted the Alleycats (16-1-2) against the South Side Shockers for the crown. Trailing 1-0 early, the Alleycats walked away with the 5-1 victory and the tournament title.

Allison Benthusen went the distance for the title win.

Kim Lofton hit a 2-run double that drove in Natalie Chase and Chrissy Rosin and put the Alleycats on top 2-1, a lead they did not relinquish.

In the sixth inning, Chase and Rosin led off with singles, and both scored thanks to timely RBI hits from Katie Williams and Shannon Powers.

The Alleycats had earned the No. 1 seed following a 3-0 spin through pool play that included wins over the Tinley Park Vipers 9-2, the Zion Falcons by a score of 5-3 and an 8-0 shutout over the Aurora Raiders.

Jackie Gill was inside the circle for the opening victory.

The Alleycats engineered a 5-run first inning and never looked back.

Kim Lofton followed back-to-back singles from Chrissy Rosin and Natalie Chase with a 2-run triple. A sacrifice fly from Williams scored Lofton. Powers hit her way on base, followed by Liz Yucuis' double, and Sara Brandal singled to score Yucuis.

In Game 2, the Alleycats trailed 3-1 before clawing their way back with 4 straight singles, including RBI from Jen Spoden and Rosin to tie it at 3-3.

Later, Lofton and Williams reached base and were brought home by Powers and Bradal. Erica Swan got the win, while Allison Benthusen earned the save.

Against the Raiders, Lofton (triple), Marissa Osness (single), Yucuis (single), Brittany Holm (RBI) and Melissa Nelson (RBI) led the offense, while Benthusen earned the win inside the circle.

In bracket play, the Alleycats collected a 12-0 win over the ISU Club team behind offensive leaders Lofton (2 triples, 2 RBI), Chase (3 hits), Williams (2 hits, 3 RBI) and Brandal (2 hits, triple).

Gill and Swan combined in the circle for the victory.

Next, they earned a 5-1 win over the DOLLS Rebels behind timely hitting from Gill (home run), Spoden (triple) and Chase (RBI).

Facing the Northern Illinois Lightning in the semifinals, both Rosin and Chase scored on wild pitches for the 2-0 victory.

Lightning takes third: The Northern Illinois Lightning women's fastpitch team went 5-1 and finished in third place last weekend hosting the Lightning Summer Bash at the Elgin Sports Complex.

Off this weekend, the Lightning (10-3-1) will host the Northern Illinois Thunder in a doubleheader on Tuesday, June 24 at Judson University at 6:30 p.m.

The Lightning will compete in the USSSA state tournament June 28-29 at Rockford.

Opening action Saturday against the ISU Club Team, the Lightning recorded a 13-0 shutout behind pitcher Aimee Ewert, who allowed 1 hit while fanning five.

Kelli Whipple (2-for-2, double, 2 RBI), Ashley Smith (2-for-2, RBI), Amy Gahl (2 RBI), Elissa Wisniewski (RBI) and Kim Corcoran (2-for-2) led the way.

The big bats continued in Game 2 when the Lightning defeated the Illinois Inferno 8-4 behind Gahl (2-for-3, Suzanne Gersich (triple, 2 RBI), Jaci Corn (RBI) and Smith (RBI).

Wisniewski notched the win.

The Arlington Hurricanes were the next to fall as the Lightning pounded out a 10-0 win, their second shutout of the tournament.

Gersich (2-for-2, 2 triples, 2 RBI), Chaleen Rumpf (2-for-2, triple, 2 RBI), Karisa Hansen (2-for-2, double, RBI), Nicole Guska (triple, RBI), Kim Corcoran (triple, RBI), Corn (double, RBI) and Wisniewski (RBI) each made key contributions.

Whipple was in the circle for the win, striking out four and giving up 2 hits.

The Lightning kicked off Day 2 of the tournament with an 11-1 win over the Zion Falcons, followed by an 8-6 victory over the Elgin Heat that extended their winning streak to five.

Christine McGivney tossed a 2-hitter helping the Lightning defeat the Zion Falcons.

Courtney LaFerle (2-for-2, double, triple, 2 RBI), Gersich (2-for-2, RBI), Whipple (triple, 2 RBI), Corcoran (triple, 3 RBI), Guska (RBI), Rumpf (RBI) and Smith (2-for-2) provided ample offense.

Whipple returned to the circle and recorded 5 strikeouts to get the win over the Elgin Heat.

Leading the offense were Gersich (2-for-3, home run, 3 RBI), Rumpf (2-for-2, home run), Gahl (2-for-3, home run), Smith (RBI), Guska (RBI) and Hansen (RBI).

The Lightning tournament tour ended with a 2-0 loss to the Illinois Alleycats, who captured the title.

Allowing 5 hits, Ewert absorbed the loss. Gersich was 2-for-3.