DuPage County softball notes: Montini’s Raffen swinging hot bat; Waubonsie Valley running wild
The Montini softball team got into the win column in the Girls Catholic Athletic Conference Red Division in a big way.
In the Broncos’ 11-4 win over Mother McAuley, Aubry Raffen went 3-for-5 with 2 home runs and 6 RBI. Raffen ran her RBI total on the season to 23. The win bumped Montini to 11-4 overall (1-1 GCAC Red).
In Montini’s 13-3 nonconference win over Lyons Township in 6 innings, Raffen went 3-for-3 with 2 home runs, a double, 7 RBI and scored 3 runs. Cam Fox was 4-for-5 with a double and 3 RBI. Cedona Barrett was 3-for-4 with a double. Fox pitched 6 innings and fanned 12 to earn the win. Montini had 18 hits in the ballgame.
Fox also fanned 15 in a 7-inning complete game effort in a 7-1 win against Geneva. “We received contributions up and down the lineup,” Broncos coach Amy Bukovsky said.
Barrett (.500 batting average) and Fox (.490) have been consistent performers at the plate, Bukovsky noted, while Raffen has been key with her RBI efforts. Bukovsky added Alexandria Kalins “has done a great job controlling our outfield from center field so for, in addition to making significant contributions at the plate,” she said.
Addison Trail update: Third baseman Madeline Housley is hitting .600 with 3 home runs (1 grand slam) and 12 RBI. Catcher Francesca Gailone is hitting .560, while pitcher Giselle Ramos has 33 strikeouts for the Blazers (1-8).
“Francesca has emerged as a catcher,” AT coach Steve Kuchefski said. “She is able to play other positions and her bat is starting to get hot.”
Fenton update: Fenton came into the week 6-6 overall and 0-1 in Upstate Eight East action. The Bison scored a recent 10-7 hard-fought win at Elgin Larkin and a 9-8 walk-off win against Champaign Centennial. Sophomore Kaitlynn Overfield tripled in the winning run against Centennial.
Junior Sophia Hollis leads Fenton with a .441 batting average (15 hits, 20 runs scored, 2 strikeouts). Sophomore Isabella Delgado leads the team with 17 RBI and is also leading the way in the circle with 3 wins, 1 save, 49 strikeouts and a 3.71 ERA.
“Unfortunately, the only number jumping off the page right now is our low fielding percentage when we play better teams,” Fenton coach Dave Mello said. “It’s a work in progress and something we are working on every day.”
Mello noted junior and 3-year varsity player Emma Siekierski has filled a big hole in center after the Bison graduated all-stater and current Triton College player Elizabeth Delgado.
“Elizabeth is working with first-year varsity players on both sides of her in the outfield,” he said. “She has also taken over the very important No. 2 spot in our order (and leads Fenton with 6 sacrifices).”
Glenbard South update: Freshman catcher Khloe Bauman is hitting .545 with 18 RBI, while junior shortstop Evangeline Dupuis is hitting .462 for the Raiders (5-3 overall, 0-1 Upstate Eight East).
Glenbard West update: Senior catcher Alexa Trybus is hitting .333 with a homer and 4 RBI for the Hilltoppers (1-7).
IC Catholic Prep update: Big happenings over at Plunkett Athletic Complex on West Ave. in Elmhurst where ICCP was slated to debut its new turf softball field inside the complex (which also houses the ICCP football and baseball fields) earlier this week. The team had played behind the complex at Plunkett Park.
The Knights started the week 9-2 overall and 1-0 in GCAC White Division action. ICCP also scored a recent 9-8 nonconference win against neighbor York.
Lexi Russ, Kelly Cahill and Maddy Dinino have all been hitting the ball hard and driving in runs, coach Frank Reaber noted. Ari Zito and Sofia Bucaro led the team in steals. “Ari and Sophia are a great 1-2 punch in the lineup,” Reaber said.
Dinino recently recorded her 300th career strikeout.
Reaber added the Knights are playing better on defense. “I think defensively we are playing pretty good,” he said. “We need to work on a few things since we got back from Florida and need to get some other kids some playing time so we will be trying some new things the next few games.”
Lake Park update: The Lancers (10-1, 1-0 DuKane) recently defeated York 4-0 in a nonconference game where pitcher Gianna Furlano struck out 17. Gianna Doyle is hitting .514 with 18 RBI, while coach Lynsey Gunnells noted catcher Bella Marinaro has been a big part of the team’s success. “Bella’s catching has been great,” she said.
Lisle update: The Lions started the week 3-4 overall and 0-2 in Illinois Central Eight play. Lisle downed St. Edward 4-3 in a recent nonconference game. Erin Bradley is hitting .300 with 3 doubles, 1 triple and 5 RBI, while Megan Bradley is hitting .286 with 3 triples, 7 RBI, 7 runs scored and 5 walks.
“Erin Bradley has pitched well for us,” Lisle coach Jennifer Zimmerman said. “Our defense needs to step up when she is on the mound and play cleaner. We are committing too many errors behind her and making her throw more pitches than she should be.”
Metea Valley update: Freshman Lilly Aguilar is hitting .378 with 3 doubles, a triple, 1 homer, 10 RBI and 10 runs scored, while sophomore Aleyna French is hitting .367 with 3 doubles, 1 triple, 5 RBI and has scored 9 runs for the Mustangs (4-7, 0-2 DuPage Valley). Freshman pitcher Hailey Wisch is 3-6 with 52 strikeouts in 44 innings of work. Opponents are hitting .239 against her.
Naperville Central update: Fiona Brown cracked a pair of home runs in a recent game, while Avery Miller pitched 14 innings last week and allowed no earned runs (2 total). Lacie Williams leads Central (5-4, 2-0 DuPage Valley) in RBI.
Naperville North update: During a recent 5-game run, Aubrey Marino hit .417, while Addison Wade was at .357. Reese Pedersen hit her first home run of the year against Naperville Central.
Sara Rossi leads the Huskies with 14 hits and 11 steals, while Faelin Bretag is tops in RBI with eight. Gabi Chmiel has 50 strikeouts in 40 innings of work for North (2-10, 0-3 DuPage Valley).
North coach Nick Lago said the senior leadership of Addison Wade, Chmiel, Rossi and Sona Hudakova has been key. “Losing 8 in a row has been tough and they have been positive and trying to keep us on track,” he said.
Neuqua Valley update: Nalia Clifford continues to star for the Wildcats (3-5, 1-1 DuPage Valley). She’s hitting .577 with 2 homers and 8 RBI.
“Nalia has been a key component and player at shortstop this season,” Neuqua coach Samantha Rochowicz said. “She has been contributing to many double plays over the last couple games. She continues to bring strong leadership skills and softball IQ to the field.”
Clifford had 5 hits in one game this season. “Nalia has been an amazing role model,” Rochowicz said. “She is a gamer. She wants to win and wants the team to get better. She has helped so many players this season by building their confidence on the field. She has been a vital part of our lineup and a key contributor to our infield.”
Tegan Spellerberg, Rochowicz added, has been dominating behind the plate with her catching. She has thrown out 5 runners trying to steal. “She has great pop and has caught many runners steeling,” she said. “Tegan is taking charge of the field and calling many great games.”
Ashley Pape is hitting .600 with 2 homers, 11 RBI and a 1.167 slugging percentage. Jean Peske is hitting .412. Neuqua recently rallied to beat Yorkville 7-5 in a nonconference game.
Waubonsie Valley update: Let’s talk stolen bases. The Warriors had 22 steals to start the week with Alyssa Tukker accounting for 12. Coach Val Wood pointed out Tukker is on track to break the program record of 30 in a season.
Pitcher Molly Quinn, Wood added, is close to tying the strikeout record in a game, which is 17. Set by? Wood herself in 1998. Quinn struck out 15 against Bolingbrook.
The Warriors started the week 7-4 overall and 2-0 in DuPage Valley action. Waubonsie scored recent wins over Wheaton Warrenville South (12-2) and league foes Metea Valley (10-4) and Naperville North (4-1).
Quinn hit her first high school homer in the WW South game. She’s hitting .485 with 5 doubles and has a 2.10 ERA and 82 strikeouts in the circle. Avery Gage is hitting .469, while Tukker is at .444 with 3 triples.
Wood noted Grace Riggs has been a steady presence for the team at the plate and at second base. “Grace has been playing with a new level of confidence this season and has really embraced a leadership role on and off the field,” she said.
Westmont update: The Sentinels scored recent wins against Proviso West (16-1), Chicago Northtown (14-3), Rosary (16-4) and Streamwood (15-2) to move to 4-4 overall (1-0 Chicagoland Prep).
In the Proviso West game, Gwyneth Jindra hit her fourth homer of the season. She is hitting .714 on the season (1.571 slugging) with 15 hits, 18 RBI and 18 runs scored. In the circle, Jindra has 3 wins and has struck out 40 in 29 innings. Reagan Kelly is hitting .458 (.542 slugging) with 11 hits and 12 RBI. Cate Jackson has a .607 on-base percentage and has 10 runs scored and 10 steals, while freshman newcomer Lexie Ott has 13 runs scored and 8 stolen bases.
Westmont coach Josh Ott noted Emilia Meza pitched very well against Proviso West, Northtown and Streamwood.
Wheaton Warrenville South update: The Tigers started the week 7-2 overall and have received key contributions from seniors Neila Kirichun (.519 batting, 3 doubles, 1 homer), Caroline Schula (.500 batting, .519 on-base, 3 doubles, 1 homer, 10 RBI) and Becca Chaney (.485 hatting, .553 on-base, 2 doubles, 2 homers, 10 RBI), along with junior Avery Arnold (.481 batting, 3 doubles, 2 homers, 9 RBI) and sophomore Lily Bobor (.414 batting, 3 doubles, 1 homer, 9 RBI). Arnold is 6-1 in the circle with 50 strikeouts and 7 walks in 40 innings to go with a 1.93 ERA.
York update: Junior shortstop Lilly Burda is hitting .421 with 2 homers and 12 RBI, while junior outfielder Myka Matykiewicz is hitting .400 with a homer and 5 RBI. Senior third baseman Gia Valentin is hitting .379 (.455 on-base) for the Dukes (5-6), who coach Lisa Fraticola noted have played a tough schedule of nonconference games.