Fast start lifts St. Charles North past St. Charles East
Jillian Waslawski has had as good of a seat as anyone the past three years for one of the best Tri-Cities rivalries in any sport between any schools, the annual St. Charles North-St. Charles East softball games.
Waslawski went from watching to playing a key role Wednesday. The St. Charles North freshman drew the start against St. Charles East's powerful lineup and held them to 1 extra-base hit in a 4-3 win that ties the North Stars for the Upstate Eight River lead.
"It was definitely something else," Waslawski said. "It was nerve-racking but I had a lot of trust in my team. I knew East was a great opponent but I knew we could come through."
Waslawski, now 4-2 that includes a win over Waubonsie Valley last week, fanned 3 and walked 1 while scattering 8 hits.
"She has stepped up every opportunity we've given her," North Stars coach Tom Poulin said. "She's beyond her years when she's out there in the circle. She's a mature kid and very confident and just tough as nails."
Waslawski has been coming to these games the last three years to watch her sister Kaitlyn, a mainstay at second base who is now the team's senior center fielder.
Kaitlyn Waslawski helped St. Charles North (11-3, 7-2) get off to a quick start with a single and stolen base to start the game. She scored the first run on a wild pitch.
The next two hitters in the lineup, Jordyn Wolfe and Abby Howlett, also singled and also scored. Wolfe came in on an infield single by Erin Nemetz, and Howlett crossed the plate after the Saints dropped the ball with Howlett in a rundown between third and home.
"We need to do a better job at the start," Saints coach Kelly Horan said. "When you play a good team and start terrible you shouldn't win. And we almost did."
The North Stars only scored one more run after their first three batters of the game, but that proved to be the one they needed.
Sam Hausl singled to start the second. Amanda James was hit by a pitch and the runners advanced on a wild pitch. Hausl scored on Wolfe's bunt.
"I was happy with the way we started," Poulin said. "We always want to be aggressive and put pressure on their defense. We couldn't have asked for a better start. We'll need to sustain that sort of attack the next time we'll see them."
St. Charles East (14-3, 7-2), which has now lost more games in the past 2 days than the first month of the season, started its comeback in the third. Katie Kolb singled with 2 outs and scored on Alex Latoria's opposite-field double.
The Saints pulled within 4-3 in the fourth. Rylee Stout singled and Cat Crossen reached on a bunt, then the runners advanced on Delaney Devor's sacrifice.
Olivia Cheatham also bunted which scored Stout, and Crossen came in from third when the North Stars threw to second trying to get Kelly Rinker stealing.
The Saints couldn't get a runner past first base in the final 3 innings against Jillian Waslawski. Devor singled with 2 outs in the sixth but Wolfe held onto Cheatam's fly ball while colliding with Howlett in right-center to end the inning.
With 2 outs in the seventh Kolb kept the Saints' hopes alive with a line single to left. Waslawski got 2 quick strikes on Latoria before retiring the home run threat on a soft pop-up back at her.
"I was trying to get her to chase a lot of balls but she's a very good hitter," said Waslawski, who mixed her fastball, drop curve and change. "She's a very hard girl to pitch against.
"It (the 3-run first) made some momentum for the team for the rest of the game. It's definitely a lot easier with the help of our bats on my pitching and our defense."
That North Star defense played a clean game. While Kolb, Crossen and Devor all had 2 hits, the North Stars didn't give the Saints any extra outs.
"I thought both teams were pretty sharp defensively," Poulin said. "We've been up and down so it was good to see that. We're starting to get into a groove defensively. I think our outfield it's hard to find a gap with those three. They all have very good arms and are intelligent players. The infield is really starting to click. I think our best softball is ahead of us. I was really pleased with how we made the plays today and held them to 21 outs."
Jordan Hall took the loss for the Saints, her second in as many days after an 8-0 start. She got stronger as the game went on, retiring the final 10 batters and only allowing 1 hit after the second inning.
"She was in complete command from whatever inning on," Horan said. "We need her to get into rhythm. It was nice to see her in the final innings be totally on.
"Sometimes when you have such a great start as we did you need a little bit of adversity and we're going to use that. I guarantee I have some ballplayers that are going to come and have a great practice tomorrow."