Softball: WW South’s Pool handcuffs St. Charles East

Wheaton Warrenville South senior pitcher Maddie Pool made life miserable for St. Charles East in a DuKane Conference game in St. Charles Tuesday afternoon.

Pool while limiting the Saints to 1 run on 5 hits in 7 innings, striking out 9 without allowing a walk.

The Illinois Wesleyan recruit, who threw a first pitch strike to all 21 hitters, also helped her own cause with a 2-run homer.

Pool's heroics lifted the visiting Tigers to a 6-1 conference win.

"Maddie was dominant," said Tigers coach Jeff Pawlak. "She was always in an advantageous count against the hitters. All her pitches were working."

The hard throwing right hander only allowed an RBI double to the Saints’ Lexi Majkszak in the sixth.

"I was able to hit the corners with my rise and low drop," said Pool. “This was a great win against a very good St. Charles (East) team.”

Pool's 2-run shot came in the fifth and scored Abby Mease who doubled and gave the Tigers (13-6, 3-4) a 3-0 lead.

"It was an inside fastball and I had a good trajectory on the ball I hit,“ said Pool. ”I knew I made good contact."

The Tigers took the lead in the first inning on a solo homer to center field by Alli Michalowski, her first of the season and career.

"That hit by Ali really got us going in the right direction," said Pawlak. "She really crushed it."

The Tigers added 3 insurance runs in the sixth keyed by a 2-RUN single from Caroline Schulz.

Grace Hautzinger took the loss for the Saints (14-6, 4-3). She gave up 6 runs on 7 hits in 7 innings of work. She struck out 10 with 3 walks

"They strung the big hits together,“ said Saints coach Jarod Gutesha. ”She (Pool) has done a nice job against us for four years. This team works hard and competes. They will stay together. The DuKane Conference is tough. We play a good Wheaton North team tommorow. Every game is tough in the conference."