Dennison's bat, arm carry Bartlett to win

Callie Dennison didn't pull any punches - beating Glenbard North meant a little more.

"I remember when we got the schedule this year I circled this in big highlighter," said the Bartlett junior. "We couldn't wait for this game."

Dennison hit a go-ahead 2-run home run and allowed just 1 earned run on the mound, avenging a loss to Glenbard North in regionals last spring with a 3-2 win on Thursday in Carol Stream.

Dennison came to the plate with two out and a runner on in the fifth inning of a 1-1 game. With two strikes she crushed an offering from Glenbard North's Hannah Santora over the fence in left.

"She shook her off on the changeup and threw the fastball instead," Glenbard North coach Josh Sanew said, "and left it low where (Dennison) could get to it versus get it high where she probably could not catch up to it. She knew it was a mistake pitch."

"I had a feeling it was going to be inside," Dennison said, "so I was expecting it and I timed it well."

Bartlett (3-0) still led 3-1 in the bottom of the sixth when Glenbard North's Jenny Nelson reached on an error and Bri DiGioia singled her to third. With two outs Nelson scored on a double steal and DiGioia went to third on a dropped throw to second, but Dennison (3-0) got the final out to strand the tying run.

"Right now we're coming up a little bit short," Sanew said, "and you need to take advantage of situations like that. That's a chance to punish someone. We got a break. You get a hit and all of a sudden it's 3-3 with all the energy back to our side."

Bartlett scored a run in the top of the first on a Dennison leadoff walk, an infield single and error, and an Elizabeth Kay run-scoring single. Santora homered to left in the bottom of the inning to tie it.

Santora (0-2) struck out nine, and DiGioia and Jenny Blasius both went 2-for-3 for Glenbard North (0-2).

"They're a very good softball team. We know how good they can be," Bartlett coach Jim Wolfsmith said. "It was two good teams going toe-to-toe. We got the big hit and fortunately we pitched around their big hit. Callie pitched a heck of a game."