Wunderlich strikes out 20 in Redhawks' win over Benet
Alyssa Wunderlich saw big sister Natalie warming up down the right-field line, ready to take the ball at the first sign of trouble in the 12th inning.
No need - this was little sister's game from the start.
Alyssa Wunderlich struck out 20 batters, and Naperville Central scored an unearned run in the top of the 12th inning to beat Benet 2-1 on Thursday in Lisle.
"Each inning I just kept thinking, 'Nobody is going to hit me, just have to finish strong and keep it going,' " Wunderlich said. "I just had to trust myself and my defense."
Alyssa Wunderlich, making her first start of the season, struck out the first five hitters she faced. The Redhawks sophomore struck out 21 in an extra-inning JV win over Glenbard East last year.
"How about 'Lil'?" marveled Redhawks coach Andy Nussbaum. "She was never scared by any means last year, but today she just pitched like a senior. Like she knew what she wanted done, knew what was going to happen. She was outstanding today."
After stranding a runner in scoring position in the ninth, 10th and 11th innings, Naperville Central (4-0) broke through in the 12th.
Kelsey Gonzalez's hard-hit ball went under the Benet shortstop's glove, and Gonzalez took second on a passed ball. Maggie Buoy then hit a grounder to third, and on the throw to first Gonzalez took off for third.
The throw back to third went past the bag, and Gonzalez came home with the go-ahead run.
"Going to third definitely puts more pressure on the other team to throw the ball to third," said Gonzalez, "and that's what happened. With a game this close, it can come down to one little mistake."
"I'm disappointed that it came down to a mistake," Benet coach Jerry Schilf said, "but we had opportunities, just like they had opportunities. It seemed like every time there was an opportunity, the pitcher would make a big play or the defense would make a play."
Benet's only run came without virtue of a hit, too.
Mykala Panko struck out leading off the third but reached first base on a passed ball. Kelsey Wirth followed with a bunt attempt, and Wunderlich's throw to second went into center field, Panko taking third.
Two strikeouts later, Panko caught everyone off guard with a delayed steal to tie the game.
"We had to make something happen," Schilf said. "We obviously weren't hitting the ball earlier in the game, that one run was big and I thought it was worth taking the chance. It worked. It doesn't always work."
Naperville Central scored its first run in the top of the first, Alyssa Wunderlich taking an 0-2 changeup up the middle for a single to score Stephanie Lynch.
Meghan Eastman (4-2), matching Wunderlich pitch-for-pitch for 11 innings, struck out 7 batters. Courtney Makowski went 2-for-5 for Benet (5-2), and Buoy 3-for-5 for Naperville Central.