Glenbard South re-energizes itself
The softball season can drag sometimes, especially when you've got a Saturday morning nonconference game after a busy week.
"This is our sixth game this week," Glenbard South coach Julie Fonda said after her squad got re-energized enough for a 4-1 victory against visiting Downers Grove North. "That's the downfall of IHSA softball is that you've got to play 35 games in a short amount of time. It's hard to stay focused when you're playing game after game after game after game and you don't have any time to practice. ...
"We've literally probably had two practices on our field all year because every time we have a practice day it rains. So it's frustrating because there are so many things we have to work on and you just don't have time to do so. So they get in kind of a lull."
Fonda never had to worry about starting pitcher Jess Wilkes falling into a lull. The sophomore struck out eight and gave up just one earned run to pick up the victory.
"Jess brought it today, and we even said that in the first inning. She was bringing it, she was throwing hard today," Fonda said.
Down 1-0 in the second inning, Kristin Grossman tied the game when she scored from third base on Wilkes' sacrifice fly to center field.
With the score even at 1 in the bottom of the fourth inning, Brianna Meath led off with a triple down the right-field line. She broke the tie on the next pitch, scoring on a passed ball.
The Raiders (8-10) scored a pair of insurance runs in the sixth inning. Grossman scored her second run of the game after doubling, and Amanda Straka came in a few batters later.
Junior Amanda Fazzari went 3-for-3, Grossman was 2-for-2 and Meath was 2-for-3.
"We had a tough game yesterday against Benet and we were frustrated with our intensity level and didn't have a real good game," Fonda said. "I'm real pleased with how they came out today, focused and ready to take care of business. That was nice to see."
- Orrin Schwarz
Benet 4-3, Bishop McNamara 0-0: Meghan Eastman (10-3) tossed her second no-hitter of the season, striking out 13 in Game 1 of a doubleheader sweep. Allyson Staats (3-0) came back with a 1-hitter in Game 2 for Benet (13-3), which has won seven straight.
Montini 1, Plainfield South 0: Lara Mangialardi singled in Samantha Richmond in the third inning for Montini (8-4). On the mound Mangialardi (7-4) struck out eight.
Naperville North 7-7, Oswego East 0-4: Diana Rechenmacher went 2-for-3, scored a run and drove in a run in the first game and went 2-for-4 with a run scored and 2 RBI for the Huskies (10-7) in Game 2. Emily Dieckmann (3-1) fired a 1-hitter in the first game and Bella Masini added 3 RBI.
Naperville Central 3-2, York 0-1: Megan Silke hit a 2-run homer and singled in Erin Graham for a third run in Game 1, and Alyssa Wunderlich (3-1) struck out 15. Graham had 2 doubles for the Redhawks (12-3). In the second game Redhawks freshman pitcher Kristina Vizza won her first varsity start, fanning 11. Naperville Central rallied with 2 runs in the bottom of the sixth, both scoring on a wild pitch and ensuing error.
Downers Grove South 11-6, WW South 1-4: Katie Jelinek cracked a 3-run homer and drove in 5 runs in the first game and Marissa Mersch came back with a home run, 2 runs scored and 2 RBI for the Mustangs (12-2) in Game 2. Izzy Vogt went 2-for-3 with a homer for WW South (8-10) in the second game.
Waubonsie Valley 11-21, East Aurora 0-2: Lauren Thresh went 2-for-3 and drove in 3 runs in the first game and Waubonsie Valley (5-11) completed the doubleheader sweep in Game 2, Tori Spears going 3-for-4 with 3 RBI.
Immaculate Conception 4-7, Timothy Christian 5-3: The Knights (13-10) salved a split of the doubleheader with a 5-run first inning in Game 2. Brianna Iosco went 3-for-4 with 2 doubles, a triple, 2 runs scored and 3 RBI.
Wheaton Academy 6-6, Walther Lutheran 1-7: Freshman Kim Olson (1-3) struck out 10 in a 1-hitter for the Warriors (5-7, 3-3 Private School League) in Game 1. Walther Lutheran scored 2 runs in the bottom of the seventh inning of the second game for a split.
Byron Tournament: Lisle went 2-1 to take third place at the eight-team tournament won by Geneva. Melanie Early was the winning pitcher in two games and Colleen Drennan went 2-for-3 in both wins for the Lions (13-7), who beat Rockford Boylan for third place.