Lisle fends off St. Edward
If moral victories are worth anything then two teams earned a win at the Elgin Sports Complex Friday afternoon.
Coming off a third-place finish in Class 2A last year Lisle entered its season opener against St. Edward, the team the Lions beat in last spring’s sectional final, with a new look in the pitchers circle, as standout Bekka Houda has graduated to Wisconsin-Whitewater, and behind the plate with junior Kristin Holub.
St. Edward, likewise, had a new look in the ring with four-year varsity pitcher Sarah Field having graduated to Grand View College in Iowa, and behind the plate in freshman Ryann Scully replacing Tarah McShane, now a freshman at Valparaiso.
Lisle, though, has six starters returning from last year’s state team and that, coupled with a 2-hit, 13-strikeout performance from senior Haley Locher in her first varsity start lifted the Lions to a 5-2 win.
“I was so excited to play,” said Locher. “I was really nervous in the first inning.”
Locher didn’t pitch last year, waiting her turn behind Houda and fellow senior Melanie Early, who figures to get plenty of pitching time for the Lions this year again. But other than a couple speed bumps, she was in control of the Green Wave most of the day.
“Last year was my time to muscle up to get ready for this season,” Locher said.
Lisle coach Jen Pomatto was pleased with her right-hander’s first game.
“Today showed we’re going to be very competitive again,” Pomatto said. “We lost Bekah but I was very impressed with Haley today. She and Melanie give us a nice 1-2 combo.”
The Lions scored a run in the top of the first when Early dumped a 2-out single into left field and then came around to score when St. Edward made an outfield error on Mackenzie Buchelt’s single.
But St. Edward, with only three returning starters, bounced back to tie it in the bottom of the inning. Locher walked senior leadoff hitter Kali Kossakowski, who then went to second on a wild pitch, stole third and scored on a first-and-third double steal after Ashley Gradisher walked.
The Green Wave then took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth. Locher hit Larson with a pitch, courtesy runner Courteneay Waughon-Decker went to second on a wild pitch and scored on a single to right field from junior Mariana Silva.
But other than that, St. Edward was able to get only three other runners as far as second base. Maddie Kerr had a 2-out double in the first inning, Becky Limberis went to second on an error and a wild pitch in the third and Silva advanced to second on an error after her hit in the fifth. Locher set down the final 11 Green Wave hitters in order, including the last four on strikeouts.
“We were being aggressive offensively, we just need to work more on contact,” said second-year St. Edward coach Jaci Corn.
Lisle tied the game in the top of the fifth. Junior Kelly Urban, who missed the 2011 season with a knee injury but started the 2012 season 3-for-3 with a double from the No. 9 spot, led off with a single to left field and went to second on an error, then third on a slap groundout from new Lisle leadoff hitter, junior Abby Tarasewicz, and scored on a 2-out error in the outfield.
The Lions scored twice in the sixth, with senior Kellie Brennan driving in sophomore Summer Stitt, who had singled, with a sacrifice fly, and Urban doubling home Locher after the winning pitcher had done the same. Early walked and scored Lisle’s final run in the seventh on Buchelt’s 2-out double.
“I was real pleased with our lineup from to bottom today,” Pomatto said. “We showed we have some quickness. This is Abby’s first year slapping and she showed a lot today for it being her first time off live pitching.”
Despite the loss, Corn was upbeat about her young and inexperienced team. She was especially pleased with new starters Silva and Limberis each making good contact and Limberis throwing a Lisle runner out at the plate from right field in the first inning.
“I’ll take that for a first game,” Corn said. “I saw a lot of good things. We made some nice plays but we have to learn from our mistakes. Julie did a nice job pitching and with her and Morgan Coughlin we should be able to hold our own against most of the teams we play.”