Neuqua Valley slows, can't stop Downers Grove South
The chain-link fence behind home plate at the Downers Grove South softball field holds signs that mark the success the Mustangs have enjoyed over the years in conference and postseason play.
Downers South is consistently a Chicago-area power spring after spring, and things appear no different this year. Neuqua Valley held that power in check through 4 innings of Wednesday's Mustang home opener. But when Downers South got going in the fifth there was no stopping the Mustangs, and 10 runs and 5 hits later, the team had a 12-1 victory.
"We have a good team. First four innings it took us a little while to wake up. But once we did, we hit the ball well. Their pitcher was good," said Downers South coach Ron Havelka.
The Mustangs (2-0) got on the scoreboard immediately in their half of the first when leadoff hitter Kristen Bialek turned a bunt into an infield hit followed by Kristin Lea's single to right. Consecutive sacrifice flys to left field by Caroline Hedgcock and Zahrya McFarland scored Bialek and Lea.
Neuqua's Jenny Budds connected on the first of her 2 hits on the day in the first with a single to center. Marissa Potter reached base in the third on a single down the right-field line.
The Wildcats (1-5) scored their lone run in the fourth. Alexis Sales reached on a fielding error and scored later on Ary DiBernardo's sacrifice fly.
Then came Downers South's bottom half of the fifth. Lea led off with a double and the floodgates opened. Megan LoBianco's 3-run triple and 2-run singles each from Hedgcock and Nicole Bowman did the brunt of the damage in what was the final inning. The Mustangs had just 3 hits over the first four innings.
"Hitting responds to momentum. Hitting is contagious and Kristin started things off great with that double," Hedgcock, who finished with 4 RBI, said.
The winning pitcher was Payton Buresch (1-0). She allowed just 3 hits and struck out 7 in 5 innings of work. And she was consistent throughout the game in getting ahead of Neuqua's hitters.
"I was always focusing on getting ahead and that allowed me to work in other pitches," she said. "And the defense did a good job of making plays."
Neuqua Valley coach Laura McCarthy was very pleased in how the Wildcats held off the Mustangs for the first four innings and said it was another example of how Neuqua is better than its record indicates. But it's a team that has goals and it needs to learn certain things if it wants to accomplish those goals.
"(Downers South) is a good team and that pitcher is tough. We have to be able to hit, do what we want and we need to learn to beat a pitcher like that," she said.