Softball: Dierks fires 2-hit shutout at Batavia
Geneva senior Ali Dierks got to the seventh inning at Batavia on Tuesday and couldn't help but think she had yet to allow a hit.
"It was in the back of my head," Dierks said. "I was trying to clear it out because the second you start thinking about it that happens. But it ended up being OK. We got the win."
Hanna Mackowiak spoiled the no-hit bid with a 1-out line drive double in the seventh, and Chloe Chvojcsek singled to put the tying runs on base.
But Dierks finished her gem herself, getting the last out with her ninth strikeout to complete a 2-0 win.
Coming off a loss to St. Charles North on a walkoff home run and an extra-inning loss to St. Charles East, Dierks gave Geneva (16-5, 9-3) just what it needed.
"We've had a few big games in a row and a few tough losses in a row so coming out and getting a big win today felt good," Dierks said.
Dierks kept the ball low in the zone and used her curve to cool down a Batavia (11-10, 6-4) team that had been hitting well in recent wins over South Elgin and St. Charles North.
"We have to have a little bit better game plan," Batavia coach Lupe Castellanos said. "Dierks is a great pitcher. I think she's one of the best in the area. She kept it low and we weren't able to adjust. We didn't adjust until the last inning and it was too late."
Batavia starter Sammi Wicks only allowed 4 hits herself. Geneva got all its offense in the first inning on one swing of the bat.
After Carissa Bombardiers slapped a single to left, Katie Keller blasted the first pitch she saw into the trees behind the right-field fence for a 2-run homer.
It was the third homer of the year for the NIU-bound catcher.
"I've been having a lot of line drives, just nothing catching the full barrel of my bat," Keller said. "Today I went in thinking simple and not try to jack anything and staying inside the ball and that's what did it. I don't usually see many inside pitches. I saw that and just put my swing on it."
It turned out to be Keller's only swing of the day. Wicks walked her in her next at-bat, then Castellanos intentionally walked her in her third and fourth at-bats.
"That was the last pitch they were going to throw her and I don't blame them," Dierks said. "That ball was smoked."
"It was early in the game," Castellanos said of pitching to Keller in the first inning. "I'm not that much of a big fan of that (intentional walks), I like to let the kids play.
"But she's a great hitter. I knew that coming into the game. I thought we made a great pitch, she just turned on it and hit it hard. After that I was more about trying to make someone else beat us."
Geneva left eight runners on base Tuesday a day after stranding 11 in the one-run loss to St. Charles North.
Coach Greg Dierks is looking for a little more timely hitting but likes the way his team is playing defense and pitching.
"That (a no-hitter) would have been cool because we've had them over the years against teams that can't compete but this would have been against as good of team as we've had," Greg Dierks said. "They've been scoring a lot of runs and they have some good bats over there. But still it was a real good outing for Ali and we needed it."
Jaelen Lisberg made a diving catch in center field in support of Wicks, who struck out 3 and only had 1 walk besides the ones to Keller.
"Wicks has been pitching well all year," Castellanos said. "She's got some good spin on the ball. She's hitting her spots amazingly. If I call the pitch she hits it at least 90 percent. And our defense plays good behind her because they are always on their toes."