D'Ambrosio, Pociejewski have productive starts to softball seasons
Lexi D'Ambrosio's season for the Missouri-Kansas City softball team was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic.
But that didn't mean she didn't have time to produce some moments she won't forget in her second year of collegiate softball.
The former Fremd standout receiver, now catching for the Roos, went 2-for-4 with a game-high 4 RBI at the Rock Chalk Challenge.
D'Ambrosio laced her second hit up the middle, just like her first one, for a 2-run single which proved to drive in the game-winning run.
Former Maine West standout Kayla Pociejewski also had a strong start to her third year at Illinois-Chicago.
The sophomore was named the Louisville Slugger/NFCA Player of the Week, taking home the first National Fastpitch Coaches Association weekly award of her career and third for the Flames in as many seasons.
Pociejewski earned the national recognition after a career weekend at the Eastern Kentucky Invitational in early March.
She batted .611 with 11 hits, 8 runs and 12 RBI through five games.
The redshirt junior slugged 1.444% with 4 home runs and 3 doubles while also putting together a .632 on-base percentage.
Pociejewski recorded a hit in all five contests, highlighted by a career-high 4-for-4 performance against host Eastern Kentucky. She clubbed 2 home runs, finishing just a triple shy of the cycle.
In a game against Dayton, Pociejewski belted a 2-run homer, securing a 6-5 walk-off win.
She also had 3 hits with a career-high 4 RBI against Akron.
The Flames finished the Invite 3-2 behind Pociejewski's performance, taking a single win over Dayton and a pair of wins over Akron.
Women's track
Barrington senior Allison Drage has committed to run cross country and track and field at Division I Brown University in Providence, R.I.
Women's track
Two former Mid-Suburban League runners from North Central College were All-Midwest region honorees.
Junior Katie Bonney (Hoffman Estates) earned the title for her work in the 400-meter dash while junior Kelsey McLaurin (Barrington) gained attention for her performance in the triple jump.
Bonney's season-best mark of 57.65 seconds in the 400 meters moved her up to No. 4 in North Central history in the event indoors. She placed second in the event at the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin Indoor Championship and owned the 13th-fastest time nationwide at the NCAA Division III level.
McLaurin achieved a mark of 39 feet, 7 inches in the triple jump to rank third nationwide and placed first in the CCIW for the second straight year.
She set the Cardinals' indoor record of 39-7.75 in 2019 when she earned All-America honors by placing eighth at the Division III Indoor Championship.
Baseball
Illinois Wesleyan junior Quinn Gudaitis (Hersey) was named the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Pitcher of the Week.
He pitched a nine-inning complete game against previously unbeaten UMass Dartmouth (8-0). Gudaitis gave up 5 hits, 2 runs, 1 walk and struck out 10 in a 4-2 victory.
It was his third career complete game.
Gudaitis led the Titans with three starts on the mound, going 1-0 with a 2.57 earned run average in 21 innings.
He also led the team with 22 strikeouts and did not allow any home runs.