Staats, Benet get better of Nazareth this time

Now this is the Allyson Staats that Benet likes seeing on the mound.

The Redwings senior 2-hit Nazareth, striking out six in a workmanlike 4-0 win on Tuesday in Lisle.

Staats (16-9) mowed right through a Roadrunners lineup that beat her and Benet 5-3 just eight days prior.

"That's what we need going into regionals next week," Benet coach Jerry Schilf said. "She pitched well at the beginning of the season, but you know our schedule's pretty tough. We've faced some teams that can hit the ball."

Staats' shutout is her 10th of the season but first since April 30 against Oswego East. Schilf noted that Nazareth is also one of the better teams she's shut out.

"She's been getting hit lately," Schilf said, "and a lot of it is not changing speeds enough and not hitting locations. This is one of her better starts."

Staats had a no-hitter going until two outs in the fourth, when Erin Goode singled after Cat Usher reached on an error.

But Staats struck out the next batter swinging on a riseball and allowed just one baserunner the final three innings. That runner was thrown out trying to steal second by Redwings catcher Kendall Duffy.

"I had confidence in my team behind me; that's what you need," Staats said. "I just went right at them. If I could just get them to hit the ball on the ground, I had my defense behind me.

"The rise is one of my go-to pitches if I can get them to swing at it."

Benet (18-14, 10-7 East Suburban Catholic Conference) got on the board in the third. No. 9 hitter Tracy Griffin, hitting over .300 since her insertion into the Redwings lineup three weeks ago, singled and moved to second on a Maeve McGuire sacrifice. Staats then went the opposite way for a two-out run-scoring single.

The Redwings tacked on 3 runs in the sixth, again with two outs. Mikayla Panko hit a first-pitch, 2-run triple into the gap in right-center and Shellie Schaffer drove in Panko with a single past the third baseman.

Maeve McGuire and Schaffer each had 2 hits.

"We really started to turn it around when Maeve moved up to leadoff," Schilf said. "She really ignites us. It's not unusual for us to get 9 hits like this."