Neuqua Valley overcomes injuries, St. Charles E.

With all the talented softball teams in the Upstate Eight Conference, Neuqua Valley is expecting a knock-down, drag-out race that will come down to the last team standing.

Which is pretty much how the Wildcats' first conference game went Tuesday in St. Charles. Starting in the first inning and lasting until the seventh, Neuqua Valley watched its players literally get knocked out - yet the Wildcats found a way to stay standing.

UIC-bound shortstop Jenna Marsalli smashed a game-turning 3-run home run in the sixth inning, and Rachel Bannister came on to save the day in the seventh for a 7-6 victory.

The Wildcats (3-2, 1-0) started the game losing their second baseman Katie Wido and right fielder Kat Widup when they collided in the first inning, then watched their starting pitcher Jena Boudreau depart in the seventh inning after she took a wicked line drive off her knee.

All that made finding a way to beat a Saints team that finished second in the UEC last year that much sweeter.

"We had so many circumstances today and we just stuck together as a team and came through with the win," Marsalli said. "One step closer to conference champs."

Neuqua Valley coach Elaina Tanaka said she couldn't remember a game with so much adversity. She had players with head, ankle and knee injuries.

"I told the girls this was an absolute team effort considering everything that happened," Tanaka said. "Our girls never gave up. They believed in each other and supported each other and they pulled it off. Our girls absolutely have a fire in them and they wanted it more than anything. I'm really proud of them."

St. Charles East (3-2, 0-1) had rallied from a 3-0 deficit to grab a 5-3 lead in the bottom of the fifth before Marsalli - the Wildcats' MVP the last three years - drove her second home run of the year far over the fence in right-center.

"She can come through in clutch situations," Tanaka said. "We have counted on her since she was a freshman. You can always count on her."

Marsalli went 3-for-4 with her home run and a double.

"I was just trying to hit a line drive and sometimes you get lucky," Marsalli said. "It felt good off the bat.

"They had the momentum and getting that kind of gave us the momentum back. We came out really strong defensively after that."

Trailing 7-5 in the bottom of the seventh, Saints senior second baseman Steph Roan opened the inning with a single. Senior shortstop Jenny Niemiec followed with a line shot back at Boudreau (2-1), hitting her knee and going for an infield single.

Boudreau, who had surgery to the knee her freshman year, had to be helped off the field.

With the tying runs on base, nobody out and the heart of the Saints' order coming up, Bannister came in and retired three of the next four hitters to preserve the win. A key infield fly rule on a ball that ended up dropping helped the Wildcats leave the tying run at third.

"She (Bannister) was in a tough situation and did an excellent job and really pulled through for her team," Tanaka said.

Left fielder Chelsea Mueller's 2-run single in the second inning and an RBI single by Colleen Hohman in the third gave the Wildcats a 3-0 lead.

"They (Neuqua Valley) are a good team but you can play flat when you play a good team," Saints coach Kelly Horan said. "The Saints didn't really show up until the fourth inning. I told the kids we need to think about it until we leave here today, and then we have another one tomorrow."

The Saints started their comeback in the fourth. A sacrifice fly by Dana Asquini plated Niemiec, who had singled to lead off. Starting pitcher Katie Stengler followed with an RBI single to make it 3-2, then the Saints grabbed the lead with three runs in the fifth.

"We had a good comeback and that's something we'll build on," Horan said. "We just have to have a little gut check and make the season what we want it to be. We need to fix it and I'm sure the kids will respond."

The teams play again Thursday in Naperville. Tanaka isn't sure how many of her injured players she'll have back. She said Widup was taken to the hospital with what was thought to be a concussion following her collision with Wido, who also left the game after the play - a pop-up to short right that Widup somehow held onto for the out despite the collision.

Tanaka also is hoping Boudreau's injury isn't as bad as it looked.

"The trainer thinks it is going to be OK but obviously the initial shock was a little scary for her," Tanaka said.