R-B hitters keep pressure on against Montini

Riverside-Brookfield gave Montini no chance to relax Thursday afternoon in Glen Ellyn.

"We felt the longer the game goes on and the longer we were in the game that that would be an advantage to us," Montini coach Mike Bukovsky said after his team lost 9-4 in the Class 3A Glenbard South sectional semifinals. "We thought we were definitely the underdog. We just wanted to come and get off to a solid start and be able hang in there and sneak up quiet on them. For a while that was working."

The Broncos (22-7) were in it until the bottom of the fifth inning, when the Bulldogs (28-8) scored 5 runs after two outs to take a 9-2 lead.

"We're known for hitting throughout the lineup," R-B coach Dan Hull said. "You can't get past our 3 and 4 (hitters) and think you're out of trouble. They can all hit."

While the Broncos committed only 1 error in the game, they had some batted balls drop between fielders for hits.

"You can't give a good team as many opportunities as we gave them. That's the story of it," Bukovsky said. "They're a good team. They beat us three times, so we tip our hat to them. There's no shame in that. I'm proud of our girls. They didn't quit. They battled to the end."

The Broncos made it interesting in the top of the seventh inning, pinch hitter Deena Sarno and senior Jessica Sanchez singling to lead off the inning and coming around to score on pitcher Lara Mangialiardi's second hit of the game. But that was all they could muster.

"We needed to keep the game tighter and have an opportunity to win at the end, and we didn't do that," Bukovsky said. "We did not execute very well and struggled to get ahead of batters at times, then obviously allowed them to put some balls in play."

It was the third time the Bulldogs have beaten Montini this season. Those were 1- and 2-run games.

"We were still worried about them," Hull said.

Senior Lindsey Hayes earned the victory, striking out eight and walking one. At the plate she went 2-for-4 with a RBI and a run scored.

"I'm telling you that kid's all-state," Hull said of Hayes, adding, the pitcher is, "As good a kid as I've coached in 30 years."

The Bulldogs advance to play host Glenbard South at 1 p.m. Saturday in the sectional final.

"They're tough," Hull said of the Raiders. "They run a lot. You've got to really watch them run."