Mahoney, CL South down Cary-Grove 2-0
Crystal Lake South senior Emily Mahoney says she doesn't like to think too much when it comes to softball.
"When I start thinking things don't go right," she says. "I don't think, I just do."
Mahoney certainly did on Tuesday, firing a 2-hitter and launching the game-winning home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to give the Gators a 2-0 win over Cary-Grove in a battle of Fox Valley Conference Valley Division rivals at South.
The win kept the Gators (16-6, 4-3) within 2 games of division-leading Jacobs heading into Thursday's showdown at South.
Mahoney and Cary-Grove sophomore Emma Gaulke (5-5) locked up in a pitcher's duel Tuesday that was a far cry from the April 27 matchup between the two teams won by Cary-Grove 7-6 in an extra-inning game that was filled with walks and errors. Mahoney (11-4), who struck out seven and didn't walk anyone, allowed only a fourth-inning single to Katie Berg and a sixth-inning double to Alexis Haley, while Gaulke gave up just 4 hits.
"Both pitchers did a real nice job today," said CL South coach Scott Busam. "Emily came out with something to prove today. She didn't pitch well the first time we played them so she definitely had something to prove today."
Each team had limited scoring opportunities. The Trojans (10-12, 3-4) got Berg to second with two outs in the fourth and Haley to third with two outs in the sixth but that was it.
"We need to get some people hitting back-to-back," said Cary-Grove coach Tammy Olson, whose team was shut out for the second straight day. "We scatter our hits and don't get any link to them at all.
"But I do think Emma pitched a real nice game today."
Until the sixth inning, the Gators had only two baserunners get as far as second base against Gaulke. South had first and second with two outs in the third but Vicki Pyan lined back to the circle for the third out. In the fifth, Sam Golf drew a leadoff walk and was sacrificed to second but was stranded there.
Then, in the bottom of the sixth, Megan Hardie drew a two-out walk, bringing Mahoney to the plate with the game on the line. She took Gaulke's 0-1 pitch deep over the left field fence, scoring pinch-runner Jamie Beelow ahead of her.
"I was just hoping basehit," said Mahoney, who proceeded to set Cary-Grove's 4-5-6 hitters down in order in the top of the seventh.
"I just went out there with confidence today," Mahoney said. "Everything was working. It's Cary-Grove and we all just really wanted to win today after last time."
Busam was just happy to see his team finally win a close game after three straight 1-run losses last week.
"Four of our six losses have been by one run so we needed to win a close game to build that confidence and know we can do it," he said. "That was the prototype of a Cary-South game."