Fenton jumps back into softball
The waiting has been hard on the Fenton softball team.
Between forfeits, weather delays and postponements, it had been 10 days between games as the Bison took the field on Memorial Day to take on Roosevelt in the Class 3A Fenton regional final at Redmond Park. The waiting continued for the first few innings as the Fenton batters adjusted to slower pitching speeds than accustomed, but once they caught up, the Bison poured on the runs in an inning-shortened 11-1 victory.
“We didn’t play our first-round game. It was a forfeit,” Fenton coach Dave Mello said. “Our last doubleheader of the year was a forfeit, so we haven’t played since May 20. ... We’ve been waiting for a real game for a week and a half. We were a little anxious in the beginning, but now we get the quick turnaround.”
Fenton (20-17) will play Guerin at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Elmwood Park sectional in a rematch from last year, which has Mello hoping for an alternate ending than last year’s loss.
“Same opponent, same place, same time, we need a different result,” Mello said. “That was our goal, take the next step. I haven’t even touched the regional plaque, no offense to it, but I have three of those, I want something bigger. And we’ve been working for it.”
Tara Lawson and Kayla Reyes each hit RBI triples to left in the first two innings, respectively, but it wasn’t until the fourth inning when the Bison caught up with Rough Riders pitcher Robin Crinere (10-7) that the real damage ensued. Kelly Welch and Hannah Wassman had back-to-back RBI singles and Candice Rivera also drove in a run as Fenton put up four and took an 8-0 lead.
“We were a little anxious,” Mello said. “It’s easier said than done. Everyone wants to get up there and be the hero, get the big hit. As the game went on, we just told them to slow it down, get what you get. If we walk, we’ll take the walk. Then we just needed one hit in a gap and we’d score one or two runs and go from there.”
Roosevelt (10-7) got one back in the top of the fifth when Janet Lopez score on Crinere’s RBI single. The Rough Riders were in line for a big inning with a leadoff double by Stephanie DeJesus and a single by Judith Santiago. However, Santiago was caught stealing, DeJesus was thrown out at the plate on Lopez’s fielder’s choice and the third out of the inning came at third base following Crinere’s single.
Fenton ended the game with five hits in the bottom of the fifth, getting a win for Alyssa Ciepley (14-8), who struck out five. Stephanie Bennett, Sarah Overlin and Taylor Pugliese all singled and scored, while Kelly Welch also singled and Wassman ended the game with a two-run single to center.
“It was all about my teammates getting on base,” Wassman said. “If it’s not for them, it doesn’t happen.”
Roosevelt, which played one its better games of the year against Payton on May 25, did not against Fenton, committing 7 errors and making several mental mistakes, including the baserunning errors.
“We didn’t play our game today,” Roosevelt coach Amy Heveran said. “Against Payton we were hardcore. We played with passion, teamwork and sportsmanship. Something was just off today and it hurt us.”