Kakareka in command again for Schaumburg

After 16 consecutive innings, someone finally scored a run off Schaumburg’s Rene Kakareka.

But the senior right-hander and her teammates were hardly fazed.

All they did was score double-digit runs themselves to post an 11-1 five-inning decision over visiting Prospect.

Senior third baseman Courtney Raschk’s triple to right gave Kakareka all the runs she would need as senior Alyssa Lancaster and freshman Shannon Felde scored for a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first.

Just before that, Felde singled home Hannah Kerr for the 1-0 lead.

“I was really proud of my defense,” said Kakareka of her 1-error support. “I was having a little trouble this game, but they backed me up.”

Kakareka, no-hit Hoffman Estates (9-0 win) and 2-hit Elk Grove (3-0 win) in her two previous starts.

Kakareka (2-for-2, walk) helped give herself a 4-0 lead when she led off the Saxons’ second with a double to the left center gap.

Her pinch runner Julia Bellinger scored when Kirsten Safley reached base on an error.

Prospect (7-20, 3-8), which left two runners on base in the second, scored in the third when it loaded the bases with one out.

Sophomore Meghan Doyle’s singled to center brought home Jill Sadowski to make it 4-1.

But Kakareka (5-4) escaped further damage with a strikeout and pop out to second baseman Aubrey Lopshire.

“Rene hit her spots,” said senior catcher Courtney Plackner, who went 2-for-4 with 3 RBI and a double.

“We were kind of struggling on Wednesday (8-5 loss at Rolling Meadows),” she added. “But our bats were going good this game and we were in the right frame of mind.”

The Saxons (12-11, 5-6) added 3 runs in the fourth, getting an RBI single from Plackner (2-foi-4, 3 RBI) and a 2-run double to right center by Lancaster (2-for-4, 3 RBI).

Schaumburg closed the game with 4 runs in the fifth, highlighted by an RBI single by Safley, Plackner’s 2-run double off the center field fence and Lancaster’s game-ending single to right with two outs.

Senior Hanna Lythberg, who has not pitched this week because of turf toe, and teammate Doyle each went 2-for-3. Lythberg doubled sharply to left center in the third inning when Prospect loaded the bases.

“We’d get the hits to get on base but then we didn’t get the clutch hits to get the runs home,” said Knights coach Jim Adair. “We’ve got to finish when we have runners on base. That’s what Schaumburg did. They put the ball in play in those situations.”

Shortstop Michele Molini and third baseman Stephanie Sofinski (busy day with 6 assists and 2 putouts) had the other hits for Prospect which pitched Michelle Korf (1-3) and Sadowski.

Junior right fielder Dana Gianelle also went 2-for-4 for Schaumburg,

“Overall, the atmosphere was better for this game (than Wednesday),” said Saxons coach Ellen Stoddard. “We were more intense.”