Super subs help St. Viator extend successful MSL tour
St. Viator softball coach Dan Twarog used Thursday's 7-1 nonconference victory over visiting Wheeling to give some of his reserves a chance for quality playing time.
"It's great to see those kids be successful," said Twarog, who started about six players who normally are used off the bench. "This gives them more confidence for when I need them down the road."
The Lions (12-5) continued their road through the Mid-Suburban League with a perfect 5-0 record - they've also beaten Palatine, Buffalo Grove, Prospect and Hersey - as leadoff batter Alex Flasch went 3-for-4 with 2 runs and an RBI.
Flasch, the Lions' shortstop, normally hits lower in the order but with the new lineup she moved into the leadoff spot.
"I just felt like my coach put trust in me to hit there so I felt like I had to perform better," the sophomore said. "Something just clicked."
Senior Jennie Michalik clicked, too, as she went 2-for-4 with 2 RBI, the first of her career. Twarog put her in the cleanup spot and she came through with the game-winning RBI to break a 1-1 tie.
"That was a nice place to be," Michalik said of the No. 4 spot. "It gave me a chance to do what I've been practicing. We switched things up in this game because we've all been working hard in practice. It was great to have different people in different spots."
Playing third base, Lions junior Jaclyn Koziol went 2-for-3, collecting her first 2 varsity hits.
On the mound, senior Melanie Slawny (4-3) threw a 6-hitter with 2 strikeouts to junior catcher Angelica Dickey.
"Melanie did an excellent job," Twarog said of his senior right-hander. "She had excellent control. That's all you can ask."
Right fielder Allyson Joyce answered the call, too, as the junior went 2-for-3 with a run and RBI.
The Lions added 3 runs in the fourth, getting back-to-back RBI doubles from junior catcher Angelica Dickey and then an RBI groundout by Ronnie Mack, which brought home Maggie Dickey, who had singled.
The Lions' seventh run came in the fifth when Kristen Cozzi led off with a double to center and her pinch runner Bridget Urbanus came home when Joyce singled to right.
Wheeling (2-10) jumped ahead 1-0 in the first inning when Scout Scanlon led off with an infield hit, stole second, took third on a passed ball and came home on a dropped third strike.
The Wildcats' next best threat came in the seventh inning when Becky Menelle, Tori Menelle (who pitched the first six innings) and Jackie Resnick (2-for-3) each singled to load the bases with no outs.
But Slawny got out of the inning without giving up a run. Second baseman Kelly O'Brien caught a liner for the first out.
Flasch fielded a grounder and threw home to catcher Dickey for a force and first baseman Michalik fielded a grounder and stepped on first for the final out.
"We kept battling to the end," said Wheeling first-year coach Mike Caringella. "We are not going to get used to losing. These kids don't give up. They play to the end."
Wildcats junior Sejal Shah pitched the seventh, striking out two and getting a groundout to shortstop Sami Spinabella.
"Sejal did a nice job and Tori was struggling a bit with location but other than that, our pitchers have been doing a good job all season. And our freshmen (Sara Kern in right field and Resnick at third base) are really doing a nice job."
Maine West 4, Deerfield 3: Maine West (8-9, 4-0) gave freshman pitcher Ariel Valles 4 runs in the bottom of the first inning and that's all she needed to help keep West unbeaten in the Central Suburban North.
Valles (6-0), who struck out three and walked none, also went 3-for-3 at the plate with a double and 1 run.
West's big rally in the first inning included three two-out RBI singles that went up the middle.
Alli Ellwood and Olivia Beers each had 1 run singles while Katherine Kusner brought home 2 runs.
Valles, Michelle Marlega, Ellwood and Vanessa Bagneschi crossed the plate in the inning.
Deerfield (8-9) had the tying run on second base with two outs in the bottom of the seventh when Valles ended the game with a strikeout.
West will try to complete the first half of its CSL North schedule with a perfect record when it visits Glenbrook North on Tuesday.
"The girls have played well in the conference so far and hopefully they'll continue to do so next week," said Maine West coach Mike Murin.