Cary-Grove sweeps through FVC Valley
Cary-Grove brought its brooms to the softball field Wednesday, not to mention some big bats.
The host Trojans pounded out 12 hits and downed Jacobs 9-5, putting the cap on a perfect 15-0 Fox Valley Conference Valley Division season. C-G has now won 29 of its last 30 conference games, the only loss coming to Jacobs last year.
“Our hitting was well-placed today,” said Cary-Grove coach Tammy Olson. “We got people on and we got the big hits when we needed them.”
The Trojans and sophomore standout Lindsay Efflandt spotted the Golden Eagles (17-11, 10-5) a run in the top of the first when Jenna Teson walked and then scored on Kelsey Peterson’s two-out single.
And in the bottom of the second, the Cary-Grove offense went to work. With one out, Taylor Dunne drew a walk and went to second on a wild pitch, just before Efflandt nailed a 2-1 pitch from Jacobs senior Marissa Lombardo over the center field fence to give the Trojans a lead they would never relinquish.
Sophomore catcher Sarah Leudo followed Efflandt’s home run with a line drive double to the gap in right-center and then scored on Eleni Polites’ two-out single past third base.
Jacobs was able to make it a 3-2 game in the top of the third when Kara Arceneaux singled with two outs to drive in Jackie Hengler, who led off the inning with a single.
But then the top-ranked Trojans (25-1) came up with a 6-spot in the bottom of the fourth that made the mountain too steep to climb for Jacobs. Dunne singled and Efflandt planted Lombardo’s first pitch to just about the same spot as she did in the second inning. Leudo doubled to right-center again, Alex Haley walked and Sara Markelonis delivered a 2-run double to right to make it a 7-2 game. Polites walked and with two outs, Lisa Semro dropped a 2-run single to right to make it 9-2.
“This was totally a team effort today,” said Efflandt, who had to come out of Tuesday’s game against Dundee-Crown after becoming sick. “This was us at our best. It takes everybody and I’m really proud of everybody today.”
Hengler scored again for Jacobs in the fifth after walking and then taking advantage of two infield errors on the Trojans.
And to the Golden Eagles’ credit, they never quit. Jacobs scored 2 runs in the top of the seventh to make things interesting, both scoring on Maggie Hansen’s double.
“That’s something you can be proud of,” said Jacobs coach Jeremy Bauer. “To be down like that to a really good team and you don’t die. We scored runs in the seventh inning and that’s all you can ask your team to do.”
Efflandt (22-1) allowed 7 hits — 4 in the seventh inning — and struck out eight with 3 walks in earning the win. Lombardo (9-4) went 3-plus innings in suffering the loss.
“Marissa just didn’t have it today,” Bauer said. “She just never felt comfortable. But that’s no excuse. (Cary-Grove) hit the ball extremely hard, moved runners and played fundamentally sound.”
Leudo was 3-for-3 for the Trojans, who play Grayslake North Friday and Marengo Monday before beginning the Class 4A postseason at the McHenry regional.