Cary-Grove gets key FVC win over Prairie Ridge
Lisa Semro provided the offensive fire works while Lindsay Efflandt was outstanding in the pitchers circle.
That was the scenario as Cary-Grove posted a crucial 3-0 win over Prairie Ridge in Fox Valley Conference Valley Division softball action in Crystal Lake Monday afternoon.
Both teams are now 5-1 in conference action.
“Lisa is a very aggressive hitter and she swings at the first pitch a lot,” said Cary-Grove coach Tammy Olson. “She really hit the ball hard against a very good pitcher. Lindsay was very focused and ready to pitch. She kept a very good hitting team off balance.”
Semro, the sophomore leadoff hitter for the Trojans (18-4 overall), had a 3-for-4 effort at the plate with am RBI double and a solo homer over the right-field fence off PR ace Kirsten Stevens.
“My mindset is to come to the plate aggressive and swing at the first pitch if it is a good pitch,” said Semro. “Sometimes the first pitch is the best pitch to hit. Against a quality pitcher like Kirsten, she is so quick you have to swing when she is in her motion and you have to hit the pitch where it is.”
Efflandt, using her entire repertoire of pitches, blanked the Wolves (12-4) on 5 hits. The hard-throwing junior struck out 7 without allowing a walk.
“My catcher (Sarah Leudo) always calls a good game,” said Efflandt. “I don’t have to call her off very often. Prairie Ridge is an excellent hitting team and I know I have to keep them off balance by using all my pitches. The adrenaline was really flowing today and my defense was great behind me.”
Cary-Grove, which didn’t have an error in the game, finally got to Stevens in the fifth with 2 runs on am RBI double by Semro and the Trojans tallied a second run on a PR error.
Cary-Grove scored an insurance run in the seventh on a leadoff solo homer by Semro.
Along with Semro’s outburst, Sara Markelonis collected 2 hits with a double, a run scored and a stolen base for the winners.
Stevens gave up 3 runs on 6 hits while striking out 8 with 4 walks.
“Today was a battle of the two of the best pitchers in the area,” said Prairie Ridge coach Mike Buck. “We had a couple of mistakes that hurt us. We are a young team with no seniors and 10 sophomores. Hopefully, we grew up a little today.”