Cary-Grove thumps Antioch in opener
With two-time all-area co-captain Lindsay Efflandt returning to the pitchers circle for her junior season, Cary-Grove’s softball team doesn’t figure to give up a lot of runs this spring.
So the Trojans know that to win games, all they need to do is score.
If Wednesday’s season opener is any indication of the offensive firepower Cary-Grove is going to have in 2012, expect another banner year for the Trojans.
Senior Taylor Dunne sparked a 9-run second inning with a bases-loaded double and Efflandt allowed just 2 hits as Cary-Grove downed Antioch 11-1 to open the season on a shorts and T-shirt afternoon in balmy Cary.
“We’re really excited to hit this year,” said Dunne. “We were excited to get out and get after it today.”
Antioch, under the direction of first-year head coach Anthony Rocco, scratched out an unearned run in the top of the first inning off Efflandt, who won her 60th game in a Cary-Grove uniform. Losing pitcher Katie Phillips blooped a two-out single over second base to score leadoff hitter Hannah Skoog, who drew a walk after fouling off eight pitches.
But Cary-Grove, coming off a 30-2 season that ended with a sectional final loss to DeKalb, came right back and tied the game when senior Sara Markelonis’ double to the fence in left field drove home sophomore Lisa Semro, who hit Phillips’ first pitch of the season up the middle for a single. Semro, Markelonis and Dunne each had a hit in the game, filling the 1-2-3 roles in the batting order — for now — that were vacated by graduation.
“It’s our first game and we have others to try out but I like what happened today,” said Cary-Grove coach Tammy Olson. “The kids need a chance to show me what they can do and they did a nice job today.”
Cary-Grove put the game away in the bottom of the second with some help from Antioch’s defense, which committed 4 of its 6 errors on the day in the inning.
Sophomore Jamie Deering (2-for-3) led off with a bloop single, sophomore Amy Clemment walked and with one out Semro walked to load the bases. Deering scored on an infield error off the bat of Markelonis just ahead of Dunne’s 3-run rip. Efflandt, Clemment, Deering (2B) and junior Ellen Celske (3B) all drove in runs in the inning as the Trojans sent 13 batters to the plate.
“Our emphasis the last three years has been that you gotta hit,” said Olson. “If you don’t score you can’t win. I’ve always felt we’re a good defensive team but in the past we haven’t hit as well as we needed to.”
Efflandt struck out 6 and walked 2, allowing only the first-inning bloop to Skoog and a solid third inning single from senior catcher Amber Mysilwiec. The Trojans’ only error of the game contributed to Antioch’s run.
“I knew it would be tough playing Cary-Grove right away. I saw their talent at Jacobs last year,” said Rocco, who was the JV coach at Jacobs last season. “I had a good idea what we were facing with Lindsay. She’s one of the top 10 pitchers in the state.
“We’re starting three freshmen and there will be a big learning curve from (former coach Jeff) Tylka to me. I thought we played a little timid today but it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.”