Softball: Crosthwaite’s blast, Wulf’s gem lift DuKane-leading Wheaton North over Glenbard North
Conditions were perfect for a pitcher’s duel Wednesday when Glenbard North came calling to Wheaton North in an important DuKane Conference matchup.
It was cold, damp and gloomy, with intermittent rain and a stiff breeze blowing in directly from center field.
Not great weather for hitting the softball, and for the most part, pitchers Avery Miller of the Panthers and Hannah Wulf from the Falcons were in complete control just about the entire game.
Except for one big swing in the bottom of the first.
With a runner on first base, Wheaton North senior shortstop Reagan Crosthwaite drove a 3-2 pitch through the wind and over the center field fence to give her team an early 2-0 lead. It was her 10th home run of the season.
The Falcons scored an unearned insurance run in the sixth en route to a 3-0 win.
“She’s a great leader, and she leads by example,” said Wheaton North coach Allie Ravanesi of Crosthwaite. “Reagan knows the game and is willing to take risks.”
Crosthwaite, who was one of the leaders of a strong defensive effort as well by the Falcons, is committed to Brown University in Rhode Island, where she’ll continue her softball career and also study biochemistry on a pre-med track.
“It was my first at-bat of the game,” said Crosthwaite of her homer, “and I was just trying to time it up and see where I was at.
“We’ve been playing well,” added the senior. “We’re coming together as a team. Everybody contributes, whether it’s offensively or defensively. We have great team chemistry, and that’s why it’s been such a good year for us.”
Glenbard North (11-3, 3-3) coach Josh Sanew thought his team played extremely well, but just fell a little bit short.
He added that the first inning at-bat by Crosthwaite completely changed the momentum of the contest.
“We talked before the game,” he said, “that we didn’t want to give in and give her anything good to hit. The wind was blowing in, but I tell you what, she got all of it. We were hoping the ball would stay in the ballpark to give ourselves a chance, and it’s tough once you get behind against a great pitcher like Wulf.
“But I thought we did a good job today and Avery (Miller) did a great job. She kept them off balance, mixing it in and out. She’s been excellent all year for us, we just have to get her some runs.”
Wulf gave up only two hits and struck out four, and was aided in the field by two double plays.
And in the top of the sixth, Wheaton North (16-2, 5-0) junior first baseman Emma Dodge made the play of the game to stymie a Glenbard North rally.
She dove to her right to stop a ground ball from Glenbard North junior Lauren Kozlovsky that was ticketed for right field, then stretched out to tag first base with her glove to just beat Kozlovsky to the bag for the out.
“I was debating whether or not to dive because I wasn’t sure if it was my ball or Abby’s (Falcons second baseman Abby Del Preto.).
“Then after I did I was like, ‘shoot, I’ve got to get back to the base, because I knew Abby wasn’t going to be able to get there in time for me to flip it to her.”
Wulf shut the Panthers down 1-2-3 in the top of the seventh to secure the win.
“I produce a lot of ground balls,” said Wulf, “so knowing that my defense has my back and is looking out for me is a great feeling.”