Good chemistry brewing at Crystal Lake South
It might be mid-April but there's some chemistry building around the Crystal Lake South softball team that would make you think it's mid-June.
Actually, it's chemistry that's been building for years and now is taking hold with everyone healthy and seven seniors leading the way.
Two of those seniors - Kaitlin Hardie and Emily Mahoney - along with junior Vicki Pyan were at the forefront Wednesday, leading the Gators to their ninth straight win, a 4-1 Fox Valley Conference crossover decision at Huntley.
Hardie and Pyan each homered and Mahoney scattered 5 hits in running her record to 7-1 for the season.
"That's a great hitting team. It's nice to see all three Hardies out there again and Vicki ... what a shot. You can't defend the home run," complimented Huntley coach Mark Petryniec, referring to the Hardie triplets - Kaitlin, Megan and Samantha - all being healthy again, and then to Pyan's home run, which sealed the win for the Gators.
South (9-2) got good production from the bottom of its lineup to take a 1-0 lead in the second. Freshman Sam Golf drew a one-out walk and beat Huntley's throw to second on Stephanie Punda's bunt. Golf was thrown out at third on Jess Hausl's bunt but Punda scored from second when No. 9 hitter Liz Adams lined a single to left.
"It's nice to see the bottom of the lineup come through like that," said South coach Scott Busam.
Kaitlin Hardie cranked Sam Clemons' first pitch to her with one out in the third over the right field fence to make it 2-0 before Huntley came back to make it a 2-1 game in the bottom of the inning. Marleyna Pinon drew a leadoff walk and scored on Jenna Mychko's two-out rope down the left field line to keep the Red Raiders (8-6) close.
Mahoney and Clemons dueled it out until the top of the fifth when Adams drew a leadoff walk ahead of Pyan's line drive blast over the fence in left to make it 4-1.
From there it was all South's defense - including a stellar performance from Samantha Hardie at third base against Huntley's quick slappers - and Mahoney, who struck out four, walked two and only allowed one runner as far as second base after the third inning.
"We've got a good defense that I trust a whole lot," Mahoney said. "I've played with them for so long. A lot of us have played together for a long time."
And even though her catcher, Adams, is a freshman, there's no loss of chemistry there either, thanks to Adams' friendship with Mahoney's freshman sister Hannah.
"I love Liz and I've known her a while; she's been around the house a lot," Mahoney said. "When she's behind the plate I totally trust her."
Busam sees the chemistry building as well as the Gators prepare for the FVC Valley season and then another postseason run after making it to the Elite Eight last year.
"It's different than other years," he said. "We've had good chemistry in the past but this year we have seven seniors who have been together a long time and that really care about each other. They want to see their friends hit well and play good defense. When you do that and you're willing to sacrifice individual glory you're going to be on a good team."
It also helps to have a seasoned veteran in the circle.
"When Emily's pitches are working and she's hitting her spots she keeps hitters off balance," Busam said.
Deanna DeBoscherre had 2 hits for Huntley, which left 5 baserunners stranded.
"We were emotionally flat today and when you play a team like Crystal Lake South you have to bring it," Petryniec said.
Which is what teams around the Fox Valley are learning quickly this season.