Home runs cost St. Charles North in season opener

When Plainfield Central decided to alter its field in the off-season, little did St. Charles North know what an impact it would have on their season opener.

The Wildcats moved their fences in 50 feet, then promptly bashed three solo home runs over that new fence - now at 200 feet - for a 4-3 victory over the North Stars Tuesday in Plainfield.

St. Charles North (1-1) bounced back to win the second game of the doubleheader, 9-1. This time it was the North Stars who went deep, with Amanda Ciran and Julia Clare Plezbert who hit home runs to support winning pitcher Ciran.

Wildcats junior shortstop Olvia Scott, a three-year starter who didn't have a home run before Tuesday, hit two in the first game.

"I was just feeling really good today, my swing was on," Scott said. "She (North Stars pitcher Amanda Engel) was throwing those rise balls. It was a good rise ball but I just felt I was connecting with it."

Plainfield Central (3-1), which had beat Bolingbrook and Fenwick to open the season, is coming off a 21-8 season; St. Charles North 27-10.

Scott's first blast came leading off the bottom of the first and tied the game 1-1. Her second long ball in the fourth put the Wildcats ahead 3-2.

Both home runs came to left field with the wind helping. Plainfield Central's third home run of the game, by No. 6 hitter Rachel Egly leading off the fifth inning, broke a 3-3 tie and proved to be the game-winner.

Plainfield Central coach Anne Campbell said two of the three home runs would have stayed in the park in years past.

"The first home run would have gone out with the old fence but the last two would have been in the park," Campbell said. "It's kind of exciting for the kids when they can hit home runs in their home park and they've never hit any before."

Engel took the loss for the North Stars. She pitched the first 5 innings before Ciran entered in the sixth.

Natalie Capone singled and scored on a Taylor Russell RBI double to give the North Stars a 1-0 lead in the first, then after the Wildcats answered with 2 runs in the first St. Charles North played from behind the rest of the way.

The North Stars tied the game at 2-2 in the fourth on a clutch two-out single by Annie Korth just after St. Charles North had a runner thrown out at the plate.

St. Charles North again tied the game in the fifth at 3-3, this time when pinch-runner Emily Watts alertly raced home on a wild pitch.

But it wasn't enough to counter the home runs Plainfield Central kept hitting.

"It's pretty atypical for our pitchers to get hit for a home run let alone three in a game," St. Charles North coach April Stary said. "When they do it is usually a pitch that misses where it was going."

The North Stars mounted one last comeback attempt in the seventh when Korth and Plezbert both singled to start the inning. The North Stars appeared to catch a bad break on an out call at third base on a fielder's choice, then Plainfield Central senior pitched Cara Delange ended her complete game by getting Kristin Damm to line into a double play.

Delange (2-0) allowed 7 hits and didn't walk a batter.

"She was hitting her spots for the most part and did a good job," Campbell said. "I think she's one of the best players in the area. She doesn't get a lot of credit for it. A lot of people don't know who she is."

Engel did a good job working out of jams. The Wildcats stranded 10 runners in the first five innings, including six in scoring position.

"We're leaving kids on base but very happy with the way the kids are hitting," Campbell said. "We have a young team. We've got four sophomores out there and they are producing for us. They are playing very composed and didn't get rattle when they made a run at us."

St. Charles North returns to action at 4:30 p.m. today in their home opener against Schaumburg.

"We kept battling back and that's a bonus," Stary said. "Offense we need to change a couple things. Defensively we are still sound.

"It's our first game, get it out of our system."

The North Stars rolled in Game 2, taking a 4-0 lead in the second and cruising from there.