Softball: Palma shines in debut for Leyden

Freshman Hailey Palma knew all about Leyden softball since she used to watch her sister Zoe play for the Eagles a few years ago.

But Hailey never knew she'd have an immediate impact the way she did in her first high school appearance in the circle.

Making her debut in the 2,000-seat Parkway Bank Sports Complex in Rosemont, Palma showed the poise of a veteran taking a no-hitter into the fifth inning and then completing a 3-0, 1-hit shutout over DePaul College Prep to give the Eagles (2-1) back-to-back wins Monday and Tuesday in Rosemont.

"And we could have won our first game (8-6 loss to York in Elmhurst )," said 20th-year Leyden coach Kurt Schuett. "We outhit them and Elise (Bertsche, senior two-time all-stater) gave up only 2 earned runs but we had a couple of errors from just being young that kind of cost us.

"This was awesome for Hailey (Palma). I think the big thing really for Hailey was establishing herself in that first inning,"

The first batter grounded the ball to Palma, who threw to first baseman Giulia Incandela for the first out, before she struck out the next two batters.

"I think facing the top of that lineup for DePaul (0-3 with losses to Taft and Oak Forest), a team that you know as the season goes on is going to beat some teams, was big for Hailey,“ Schuett said. ”She really kind of set the tone in that inning and threw strikes. The strike zone was consistent for both teams and I was really happy for Hailey."

Palma finished with 6 strikeouts and 2 walks, giving up the only hit to No. 8 hitter Emma Regnier, who led off the sixth with a sharp single to right center.

After Alexa Kunkle reached on a fielder's choice when Carthage pledge third baseman Bertsche fielded a hard grounder and threw a strike to second baseman Gigi Rodriguez for the out at second, Palma struck out the next two batters to preserve her shutout.

"My teammates were really supportive of me going into the game and I really appreciated that," Palma said. "I honestly didn't expect this to happen but I'm really proud of myself. I started playing because of my sister (Zoe was an outfielder/third base)."

Palma credited the outfield and infield with paving the way for her work on the mound.

Senior right fielder Kat MacLeod, who is a Missouri Baptist recruit for basketball playing softball for the first time since freshman year, senior center fielder Angelina Guillen (Lakeland pledge) and freshman left fielder Ava Jamrozek made nice running catches.

"We have an amazing outfield," Schuett said. "And Elise (Bertsche) is playing infield because I need her there. Otherwise, with her in the outfield, I would have three collegiate outfielders and that is really fun to watch."

Schuett watched Bertsche (1-1) start the rally to get the Eagles on the board when she led off the fourth inning with a triple to the right-center field gap. Guillen followed with an RBI single up the middle. She went to second on MacLeod's perfect sacrifice bunt and later scored on a one-out passed ball for a 2-0 lead.

The hosts added an insurance run in the seventh when Bertsche (1-for-1) led off with a walk, stole second, went to third on a sacrifice fly to right by Guillen and came home on MacLeod's two-out RBI groundout to short.

"It was really nice seeing us get that third run because that was textbook baseball/softball there," Schuett said. "A stolen base, a sacrifice fly to right and then a one-out ground ball to get her home."

Palma then closed out her shutout with a liner to Incandela, a groundout to Rodriguez, a walk and a groundout to sophomore shortstop Bianca Rosas.

"Oh my gosh, that (Palma's pitching performance) was epic to watch," said MacLeod, who became Leyden' all-time leading scorer in girls basketball. "She was just going right at them and they couldn't touch her. And our defense was backing her up, too, so it was a great game."

DePaul pitcher. Lauren Steele kept the Rams in the game. She struck out the side in the first inning and finished with 5 strikeouts and 3 walks, allowing only the 2 hits in the fourth inning.

"We have a really good group of girls who are just trying to come together and see what they can do," said Rams coach Thomas Catomer. "We're just trying to get them to make sure we don't strike out as much. This was our best game yet so we are happy with that.

"Their pitcher (Palma) did great. I've seen her before when the travel team I coach faced her. And Lauren Steele pitched great for us. She just knows how to go after them. That one ball (Bertsche's triple) just found the gap and hurt us a little. It was a close game and I just wish some of the balls we hit would have fell."