Softball: Aurora Central Catholic steamrolls its way into sectional final

From the opening pitch of the season, the Aurora Central Catholic softball team has been on quite the roll.

And the Chargers show no signs of slowing down.

Behind a pair of three-run homers by Alheli Velazquez, ACC pounded out 16 hits in a 22-0 victory over Guerin Wednesday in a Class 2A Lisle sectional semifinal held at Benedictine University.

In improving to 29-7 on the season, the Chargers now advance to Saturday's 11 a.m. sectional championship against IC Catholic Prep. ACC last won a sectional title in 2013.

"Here's the thing, we have a bunch of girls who love the game," said ACC coach Tom Babyar, whose team began the year with nine straight wins and 14 victories in 15 games, "and they work at it. The other thing is, we've had good continuity. And then they love to hit. It's worked out so far."

The visitors showed off that hitting prowess in the opening frame, sending 16 batters to the plate while scoring 12 runs. Velazquez hit her first three-run homer and Olivia Hernandez later followed with a two-run shot.

Velazquez knocked out her second dinger in the top of the second, part of an eight-run outburst, and added a double off the wall in the third. The junior now has 10 homers on the spring.

"We've done really well offensively this year," Velazquez said. "We had one game where we hit six homers. I think we just beat the school record for most home runs (as a team).

"Everybody made a lot of great contact today. Even the ones that didn't go through were still hard hits."

Loyola-bound starting pitcher Danielle Brown combined with Isabelle Hernandez to toss a four-inning no-hitter. They each struck out five in two innings of work apiece.

Samantha Brown also knocked in two with a double and Kaitlyn Carlson had a two-RBI single.

"This year, our hitting has really come through," Brown said. "Everyone in our lineup is hitting well. Everyone is contributing to the team and doing so well. And our defense has been very solid."

Now the Chargers get a fourth matchup this season with IC, having taken two-of-three so far. The Lady Knights have won two sectionals in a row.

"I like it that we are playing them again," Brown said. "It's always a battle against them, it is always a really good game."