Softball: Montini walks away with victory
Getting walked time and time again might not be the most exciting way to spend your time in the batter's box, but it can surely help your team win some softball games.
Montini third baseman Nikki Cuchran and her teammates proved that again in Tuesday's Class 3A sectional semifinal at Glenbard South, where the Broncos' patient at-bats led the way to a 6-2 defeat over Fenwick.
The first three hitters came away with walks against Friars starter Alyssa Stramagali in the bottom of the first inning, and all three came around to score as the top-seeded Broncos advanced to Saturday's sectional title game against either No. 2 Glenbard South or No. 3 St. Francis.
Cuchran, one of the top sluggers in the state, walked and scored in both the first and third innings before adding an RBI single in the fourth to put her team on top 5-1.
"I think it's kind of good because it also works on my eye," the senior said of all the careful pitches she sees on a regular basis. "I know the other girls have my back. If I'm getting on by a walk I know they're going to move me around and get me in still."
The first-inning outburst set the tone early and provided more than enough run support for Bri Clifton, who struck out 10 Friars while picking up her 20th win of the spring.
"I think that's key," Cuchran said of striking first. "Whoever scores first usually wins. I think it was good that we got a lot of runs early on."
Clifton, who pitched Montini to the Class 3A title in 2016, had to work hard early on against Fenwick. She threw 83 pitches through three innings but allowed just one unearned run. She then struck out the side in the fourth and blanked the Friars the rest of the way until Rachel Martinez tripled home a run with two out in the seventh to make the final score 6-2.
The senior pitcher knew Fenwick (15-18) would come out strong even though the Broncos (26-9) had knocked them off twice during the regular season.
"We just came out with the mindset that they're hungry to beat us. So we really had to bring our 'A' game just like any other game even though we beat them twice," Clifton said.
She added that the three-spot in the first was great, as was her teammate's defense. Clifton recorded her 10 strikeouts in the first five innings, then let her defense help finish off the game. In the sixth Cuchran made two diving stabs of line drives and then fielded a hot hopper to record the third out.
"It's a nice weight off your shoulders (to score first). It wasn't intentional (turning game over to defense the last two innings), but I'm glad my defense was behind me. I know I can count on them when I get tired," she said.
Clifton had an RBI sacrifice fly in the first and Lauren Latoria had an RBI double in the big opening inning. Cuchran, Elyse Spaccapaniccia and Ashley Lynch all delivered run-scoring hits as the Broncos added to their lead along the way.