Softball: Hersey continues its breakthrough season

All teams start a season hoping to improve over the previous one.

Suffice it to say, Hersey's softball team seems easily on its way.

After winning 12 games last spring, the Huskies already reached double-digits on Tuesday with a 6-3 triumph over visiting Prospect to raise its record 10-3 and 3-2 in the Mid-Suburban East while the Knights now stand at 8-3-1 and 3-2.

All 10 of those Hersey wins belong to Sabrina DiVito, who struck out four in a complete-game performance.

The junior right-hander (10-3) got all her runs in the second inning when the Huskies batted around the order with 5 hits, including RBI singles from Amelia Meyer, Shaily Patel, Livia Christopher and Brooke Sharlau, whose 2-run, one-out safety down the left field line made it 6-0 and still there were no outs.

After giving up the hits to Christopher and Sharlau, Knights reliever Emily Scorlaro made sure the lead didn't widen, getting a groundout fielder's choice and then a 1-6-3 double play to close out the inning. The junior right-hander did not allow another run.

But DiVito made sure the 6 runs held up.

"Those runs that inning gave us the energy we needed," said DiVito, who also came off the bench for Hersey's state-ranked girls basketball team this winter. "Even though we didn't score the rest of the game, it carried us through and we used the momentum to pick up the win."

The Knights had their chances but DiVito was able to minimize the damage.

Alexandra Garnmeister (2-for-4) led off the fourth with a triple to right and scored on Molly Gilhooly's sacrifice fly to left. Sara Hasan (2-for-3) added a two-out double to right center in the inning but DiVito prevented further runs with a popout to shortstop Kate Adamski.

Kathyrn Keehn's towering 2-run, one-out homer over the right center field fence in the top of the fifth cut the deficit to 6-3. Starting pitcher Riley Depa and Gilhooly each added singles in the inning but DiVito kept the lead at 3 runs when sophomore catcher Rachael Sasanuma (singled in the second) flew out deep to center for the final out.

"I thought Sabrina and Livia (Christopher, the Huskies catcher who went 2-for-3) came out and were great as our battery," said Hersey coach Molly Freeman. "Prospect's pitcher did what she needed to do, She came in and shut down our bats. Six runs is nice. But we always like to hit throughout the game which we didn't do."

Except for Sharlau, who went 3-for-3 with a double and a walk.

"She was out (ill for Monday's 10-2 loss to Buffalo Grove) so it was nice to see Brooke back in the lineup today," added Freeman, whose club was 12-12 a year ago. "This group just likes to play. They're having fun and they get along well as a group. They picked each other up when we have a hard day. We struggled a little (Monday) so it was good they were able to come back and be with their teammates the next day and come out with a win. It really feels good."

Keehn went 2-for-4 with her homer and triple and 2 RBI.

"Kathryn had an awesome game," said Prospect coach Krystina Mackowiak of her senior third baseman. "And Emily (Scolaro) did a really nice job coming in and keeping them off balance. That one inning (second) just did us in."

Mackowiack was without two key starters, shortstop Erin Pinter (out indefinitely with a broken nose) and first baseman Ashley Simon (concussion protocol and hopes to return Thursday).

But the Knights fought to the end. Garnmeister kept them alive with a two-out single in the top of the seventh before Hersey center fielder Val Allen's diving catch robbed Gilhooly (2-for-2, RBI) of a third hit.

"That was a great catch," Mackowiak said. "Their outfield (Meyer in left and Patel in right) stole a lot from us and kept us off the bases. We stranded a few runners in the first few innings and that was the difference."