Softball: Hampshire pounds its way to Chicagoland Challenge title
Just like it has been doing all season the Hampshire girls softball team came out swinging the bats on Saturday in the St. Edward Chicagoland Challenge at the Elgin Sports Complex and never let up.
The Whip-Purs pounded out 49 hits, including 16 for extra bases, and scored 40 runs in 3 wins to take the title for the first time in 15 years.
Hampshire (7-4) knocked off Genoa-Kingston 11-1 in 6 innings in the championship game.
"Offensively we know we are a pretty strong team," Hampshire coach Kelly Wasilewski said. "We come out and try to just outscore the other teams. When we are on we are awesome and today we were on."
Nobody was swinging a hotter bat than sophomore Delaney Rummel. She was 9-for-10 for the tournament and slugged 3 homers, drove in 8 runs, and scored 9 times. Rummel is coming on strong after a knee injury sidelined her last season.
"Her bat has really come along," Wasilewski said. "But we knew what to expect. It was just a matter of her getting her confidence back coming off the injury. She has really found her rhythm."
Rummel went 3-for-3 with a double, a homer, 2 RBI, and 3 runs scored in the Whip-Purs 18-6 opening round win against Rockford East. She followed that with 3 more hits, 2 homers, 3 RBI, and 4 runs scored in an 11-2 second round win over Depaul Prep. Then she went 3-for-4 with a double, triple, 3 RBI, and 2 runs scored in the title game against G-K.
"Our coaches tell us to just go up there with the mentality of just put the ball in play," Rummel said. "I was just looking for a pitch to hit every time. I like taking it up the middle or the other way and that's where they were pitching it a lot today. Overall this is definitely the best day I think I have ever had at the plate. It felt really good."
Sarah Bowen was another hitting star for the Whip-Purs. She went 5-for-12 with a homer, 2 doubles, and 5 RBI. Gwen Malecke was 6-for-11 with a pair of doubles, and 2 RBI. Melissa Esparza was 5-for-11 with a homer, double, and 4 RBI.
Freshman Katie De Re, starting her first varsity game, went the distance in the championship to pick up the win. She allowed just 1 run on 6 hits. She also pitched 2 scoreless innings in the second game.
"I grew up watching the team," De Re said. "So, to be able to play and pitch in this tournament was awesome. I really like our team. Our hitting is great and so was the defense behind me."
Jasmine Lopez went the distance and got the win in the opener for the Whip-Purs. Emily Egger threw 5 innings in the second game and allowed just 2 runs to get the win.
The host Green Wave (3-9) ended the tournament on a positive note with a 5-3 win over Elmwood Park after losing the first 2 games. Jesse Kramp pitched a complete game for the win. She allowed 3 runs, but all 3 were unearned. She struck out 10 and also helped herself at the plate with an RBI single.
"We are still trying to find our way," St. Edward coach Paul Netzel said. "We lost in the seventh inning in the first game and I think the girls were a little down in the second one. But it was encouraging the way we bounced back in that last game."