Softball

Efflandt, Cary-Grove handle CL South

Posted April 11, 2012 9:15 pm

By Dave Hess Daily Herald Correspondent

It was just another day at the office for Cary-Grove junior pitcher Lindsay Efflandt.

Efflandt, who allowed Crystal Lake South 1 run on 1 hit, struck out 7 with a walk and a hit batter as Cary-Grove opened Fox Valley Conference Valley Division play with a 4-1 win over the visiting Gators in Cary Wednesday afternoon.

“All my pitches were really working,” said Efflandt. “Against a very strong hitting team like South, I have the mindset that I have to use all my pitches. I stayed within myself and my defense behind me was great. The defense made all the plays. It was a good overall win and a good way to start conference play.”

Efflandt started the game with control problems in the first inning as she hit South’s No. 2 hitter Kim McElman and walked Gator catcher Liz Adams. In between, Efflandt struck out 3 hitters including striking out Alli Bochat to end the inning.

Efflandt, who no-hit the Gators (9-2, 0-1) for 3 innings, allowed her only hit of the game, an RBI single by Bochat with one out in the fourth that scored Sam Golf, who reached on an error.

Bochat was the last baserunner Efflandt would allow as she retired the final 11 Gators.

“Lindsay was outstanding,” said Cary-Grove coach Tammy Olson. “All her pitches were working and she was tough when she had to be. We also had good defense behind her. It was a good way to start conference play against a very good South team.”

Cary-Grove (11-1, 1-0), which managed 10 hits off South freshman Hailee Massey, scored single runs in the first and second on RBI doubles by Sarah Leudo and Lisa Semro. The Trojans added 2 insurance runs in the fifth on an RBI triple by Sarah Kendeigh and an RBI double by Rebecca Lowe.

Semro, Efflandt and Jamie Deering led the Trojans’ offensive barrage with 2 hits each.

South was hindered by 4 errors.

“We took extra batting practice this morning at 6 and we came out and swung the bats very well against a very good pitcher,” said Gator coach Scott Busam. “We did a good job of putting the ball in play and Hailee pitched a very good game, but our defense killed us. ”