Warning: Benet highly flammable

Benet’s offense should come with a warning label.

As in “highly combustible — please pitch to with caution.”

The fifth-ranked Redwings bats exploded in the third inning Monday, scoring 13 runs and sending 16 batters to the plate to erase a 7-0 Neuqua Valley lead en route to a 17-10 win in Lisle.

Bradley-bound Kendall Duffy homered to ignite the onslaught and freshman Emily York went deep twice for Benet (3-0), which has scored 43 runs over its first three games.

“Hitting is the most fun part about playing softball, and we do have a great lineup,” Duffy said. “We may not score 17 runs every game but we are definitely capable of 5-8.”

York, one of two freshmen that add spice to an already simmering top of the order, hit a laser-beam on a full count that cleared the fence in center for a 3-run homer, putting a cherry on the 13-run outburst. Two innings later, the strong righty launched a no-doubter that banged off the scoreboard in left, making it 14-7.

Benet coach Jerry Schilf noted that the wind was blowing in Monday, not that the softball noticed.

“We were afraid that coach was going to yell because it hit the scoreboard,” York said with a laugh. “I do kind of think of myself as a home-run hitter, but that time I was just trying to hit the ball hard somewhere.” Big comebacks, and football-like final scores, are nothing new for these two teams.

Last March, in chilly conditions reminiscent of Monday, it was Neuqua Valley which dug an early 5-0 hole, then rallied to win 10-7.

This time the Wildcats burst out to a 7-0 lead after two innings in its season opener, batting around in a 4-run second inning. A pair of doubles by Loyola commit Kat Widup highlighted both innings.

Neuqua had no answer for Benet’s big next inning, though.

“They hit the ball everywhere we pitched it,” Neuqua coach Melissa Wilson said. “We did not give them runs with errors; every ball was solidly hit. We had a good lead, but I knew it wasn’t big enough against that team.”

Benet shut out its first two opponents behind new No. 1 Molly Moran, but Neuqua was another story. Moran’s defense didn’t help her any, committing 4 errors — 2 in the first inning. Moran did settle in to strike out nine.

Her offense gave her plenty cushion. A Marissa Panko one-out double in the third started things and Duffy homered. Benet went on to score 11 runs with two outs, eight straight batters reaching base.

Julianne Rurka had 3 singles and reached base 5 times, freshman Stephanie Abello had 3 singles, Ali Michalik 3 hits and Maeve McGuire reached base 4 times, 3 with free passes — including a bases-loaded hit by pitch in the third.

“It’s unfortunate that we played as sloppy as we did, but our kids can hit the ball,” Schilf said. “Our kids all swing hard and we’re just preaching good at bats. Neuqua’s going to be a good team. Their speed can cause havoc on the bases.”

Widup and losing pitcher Jamie O’Brien each had 3 hits and Brooke Meyer 2 for Neuqua.

“It’s our first game and I think we showed that we can compete with them and that we’re a solid team,” Wilson said, “but we have work to do.”