Softball: Geneva's Deisz tosses a gem
After pitching one of the best games her coach has seen Saturday against Wheaton Warrenville South, Geneva sophomore Shelly Deisz followed with another gem Monday.
Deisz held a potent St. Charles East lineup, which hit 4 home runs and scored 18 runs in its previous game, to 4 singles.
Geneva didn't get much more going against Saints ace Katie Arrambide. But the one run the Vikings pushed across was the difference in a 1-0 victory.
That makes back-to-back DuKane Conference shutouts for Deisz who threw a 2-hitter against WW South.
"One of the best games I've ever called," Geneva coach Greg Dierks said of Saturday's win. "She was in more trouble today but this is a potent lineup. She made quality pitches with people on base."
St. Charles East (15-8, 6-3) left seven runners on base in the first four innings and nine in the game.
Deisz stranded a pair of runners in both the first and third innings. St. Charles East loaded the bases with one out in the fourth before Deisz escaped by getting a called third strike, then an infield pop-up.
"She moves the ball in and out," Saints coach Jarod Gutesha said. "She hits the corners and that can be the difference. When they needed a big defensive play they made it. We had runners on early and couldn't get the ball to the grass."
Geneva (7-8, 5-2) scored in the fourth. Alyssa Kramer reached on an infield single, stole second, took third on a groundout and scored when Madison Femia blooped a ball over the second baseman's head and in front of the right fielder.
Femia, Geneva's catcher, is relatively new to the sport.
"Last year she played 10 games at most for us and played JV," Dierks said. "Before that she had played baseball her whole life.
"She's done a great job behind plate. She has a lot of energy in her. She's a good leader and has a ton of spunk and a lot of fight. She got it out in play and found a good spot. We were fortunate to get the run we got and made it stand up."
Maddy Stout nearly put the Saints on the board a couple times with a long fly ball to left in the fifth and another shot to deep right in the seventh.
With two outs in the seventh, left fielder Sydney Erdmann broke back on Alex Wooten's drive, then sprinted in and made a diving catch to end the game.
The victory completes a season sweep for Geneva.
"I told the girls beating them twice in one season is a rare event," Dierks said. "I think we've only done it twice since I've been doing this. I don't know if we've ever shut them out before. That was a heck of an effort. Our outfield defense was fantastic today."
Geneva honored Dierks before the game for a varsity coaching career that began in 1990, included a 1-27 season in the early going along with 24- and 22-loss seasons, but now has seen him go over 500 career victories with winning records 16 of the last 21 years.
St. Charles East's players and coaches lined the first-base line and also cheered for Dierks.
"I did not know that was coming," Dierks said. "I appreciate St. Charles East coming out and giving respect. That was very nice. I appreciate all the thank yous, that kind of thing. It's really nice."