Streaking Geneva disposes Wheaton North
So much for that tough transition to varsity sports.
Freshman Anna Geary continued her hot start for Geneva on Thursday in the Vikings’ fifth straight win, a 5-2 decision at home over Wheaton North.
Geneva’s leadoff hitter, Geary did her job perfectly reaching base her first three trips. She would have been on all four times if not for a web gem by Wheaton North left fielder Maggie Quinn in the sixth inning robbed her of extra bases.
“It’s hard coming in with all the older girls but I’m getting used to it,” said Geary, Geneva’s center fielder who plays summer softball with the Wasco Diamonds. “They are really welcoming. It’s been good. I’m used to playing with different players but it’s really fun.”
With fleet-footed Bridget Weitzel right behind her in the lineup and right next to her in left field, the Vikings have a one-two punch at the top of the order that promises to make life difficult for opposing defenses.
Weitzel reached twice on bunts before lacing a single in her third at-bat. She and Geary combined to go 5-for-7 with 2 runs, 2 RBI and 2 stolen bases, and Weitzel capped her day in left field throwing out Wheaton North’s Nickey Kent trying to stretch a single into a double in the seventh.
Add in Kelly Gordon’s 2-hit day from the 8-spot in the lineup and those three players had all of Geneva’s 7 hits against Falcons starter Kent.
“Anna has been doing a nice job leading off for us,” Geneva coach Greg Dierks said. “She’s been hitting a lot of balls hard. Bridget offers a lot of variety in what she can do. We’ve got good speed from both of them.
“Our 3-4-5 hitters we expect to be able to drive them in. We’re looking for a little more consistent attack through the batting order.”
Geneva (5-1) opened the scoring in the third inning. Amanda Ebert walked, Nicole White bunted her to second and Gordon’s sharp single to left advanced Ebert to third before winning pitcher Haley Orwig helped herself with an RBI ground out.
Wheaton North (1-6) could have kept the damage at one run but dropped a foul pop-up. Gearcy took advantage by driving home Gordon, and then she came in to score when the Falcons threw the ball away on Weitzel’s bunt.
“The foul (drop), that’s the kind of stuff (we’re doing). We’re playing back on our heels and that’s when mistakes are coming into play,” Falcons coach Karen Calabrese said. “They need to have confidence in themselves and play more aggressive.”
Instead it was Geneva who was the aggressor again in the fourth. Gordon singled and stole second. Gearcy ripped an opposite-field double to make it 4-0.
“Coach told us to wait for the ball and take it the other way so I did that,” Geary said. “It worked.”
Weitzel’s single put Geneva’s two speedsters on first and third. Weitzel broke for second and when the Falcons threw Gearcy quickly raced home with Geneva’s fifth run.
That was more than enough for Orwig who allowed 5 walks and 7 hits but just 1 earned run in her 7 innings. Katherine Meyer drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the fifth and Quinn singled in the Falcons’ other run in the sixth.
Geneva catcher Clare Stribling threw out both Wheaton North runners who attempted to steal. Orwig came up with the big pitches in key spots including a ground out to Gordon at second base in the sixth when Wheaton North had the tying runs on base.
“She (Orwig) doesn’t get rattled out there too much,” Dierks said.
Kelly Thornton and Kent both had 2 hits for Wheaton North. The Falcons committed 3 errors and left 8 runners on base.
“That’s the story of this year,” Calabrese said. “We’re just making way too mistakes. We’re not playing with intensity right now and we’re not working together as a team right now. Our goal is to try and get better every day and eliminate those mistakes.”