Vizza’s vicious as Naperville Central rolls

Kristina Vizza isn’t used to all this run support. She isn’t complaining about it, either.

Naperville Central backed its junior lefty with a 14-hit attack on Monday in Naperville, beating Waubonsie Valley 11-2.

The Redhawks (5-1), not particularly an offensive juggernaut in recent years, have scored 35 runs in Vizza’s three starts, and 55 total in a five-game winning streak.

“It’s definitely comfortable when I’m out there and I know that if I screw up for some reason that they got my back,” Vizza said. “Last year and two years ago the scores were more like 1-0, 2-0. It feels good.”

Every spot in the Naperville Central lineup managed at least one hit. Nicole Kappelman, moved to leadoff in the Redhawks’ third game, was 3-for-5 with a double, 2 runs scored and run batted in. Juliet Tassi was 2-for-4, and just missed a homer to center, Katie Walker was 2-for-3 and Kelsey Gonzalez and Keegan Hayes both had RBI triples.

Gonzalez, hitting .611 coming in, also hit a blistering one-hopper to short that was fielded nicely by Warriors freshman Amanda Lack.

“I’d single out kids for individual performances, but when you’re scoring every inning that’s hard to do,” Redhawks coach Andy Nussbaum said. “Even the outs we’re making are pretty loud outs.”

Waubonsie Valley (4-6) was missing two starters, shortstop Amanda Minihan missing her second game with a concussion and second baseman Haylie Wensel out sick.

The Warriors, scoring over 7 runs per game over their last eight, didn’t manage a baserunner off Vizza until one out in the fourth.

Waubonsie did nick Vizza for 2 runs in the fifth with the help of 2 Redhawks errors. Carly Sass, who was 2-for-3, singled in the first run. But the Warriors left the bases loaded trailing 5-2.

“We hit the ball well, but our offense just didn’t show up today. That’s something I’m not used to,” Waubonsie coach Aly Kelley said. “I think maybe the morale of our team is just down a little bit right now, missing a couple of our players. I told them ‘you need to keep your heads up and play through this.’”

Loyola recruit Vizza (3-0) allowed four hits while striking out five, utilizing a good breaking pitch.

“That’s my favorite pitch,” Vizza said. “I can throw that when the count’s 3-2. That’s the pitch I’m most comfortable with and it’s been working so far this season.”

Naperville Central’s schedule picks up the rest of the week with games against Lockport and Downers Grove South and a doubleheader with Neuqua Valley.

“Historically the last 25 years Lockport and Downers South are two of the programs you measure yourself by. There’s a reason we play both of them in the same week,” Nussbaum said. “There are things we still need to work on but right now I feel pretty good with the way we’re playing.”