Plenty at stake in this Saints-Stars matchup

When St. Charles East plays St. Charles North, it's always going to be a matchup to look forward to - any time of the year, any sport.

That matchup is going to mean a little more today when the two softball teams play.

St. Charles North is coming on strong, entering with a 10-5 record, 4-2 in the Upstate Eight.

The North Stars are looking up in the UEC standings at St. Charles East, the conference leader and surprise team so far this year at 10-4, 6-0.

Make that a surprise to others around the league, not themselves.

"The 16 kids, the parents, coaching staff, we knew what we were capable of," first-year St. Charles East coach Kelly Barnett said. "But you earn everything in this league. The only way you earn it is by beating one another. All that maters here is what happens in June. It gets us prepared and playing well against the teams who are good."

The Saints already have wins over Neuqua Valley, Barlett and Lake Park. They beat both the last teams by 5-4 scores, with the winning run coming in the ninth and sixth.

"We knew it was going to be a big game and they were going to hit it hard," St. Charles East leadoff hitter Mary Kate Brooks said. "We have good fielders."

The Saints should be a team to watch not this year but in the future. They have 11 juniors and a sophomore with just 4 seniors.

"They have all played together at the varsity level already," Barnett said. "We're more mature than we were a year ago. The composure thing is there."

So is the defense.

"We ask our pitchers to let them hit the ground ball and let us make the play," Barnett said.

Deep threat: The Saints will have to watch out for several big bats on St. Charles North, including Amanda Ciran.

Ciran slugged a home run against Larkin, a shot hit so hard that when it landed it "took a huge chunk out of the ball and we couldn't use it," St. Charles North coach April Stary said.

"That is pretty indicative of the type of ball she can put in play," Stary said.