Lake Zurich hits 6 HRs in sweep of Jacobs
Lake Zurich's softball team came into Algonquin Saturday morning fully expecting a tough battle from defending Fox Valley Conference Valley Division champion Jacobs.
"Jacobs is a good program and we always need to be prepared when we play them," said Bears' coach Becky Lewandowski.
But on this particular day, the Golden Eagles offered little fight as Lake Zurich rolled to wins of 17-0 and 9-3, with the second game of the nonconference doubleheader halted by rain after five innings.
Lake Zurich (15-4) pounded out 24 hits in the two games, including 6 home runs. Game 1 winning pitcher Megan Mattera had 2 homers, as did Game 2 winning pitcher Tabitha Bohac, whose bomb in Game 1 was a grand slam.
"This year our offense has been pretty strong," Lewandowski said. "They've done a nice job of putting the ball in play."
The Bears also played Saturday with two injured regular starters - Erin Sweeney and Kaitlyn Beaver - and a third, Amanda Orchard, away for a volleyball commitment. Usual first baseman Ella Aslan was relegated to designated player duties due to a sore back.
"It was great to see some other kids step up and it was great to see them keep their momentum going," Lewandowski said.
Aslan and Corinne Schmitt hit the other rouund-trippers for the Bears, who led 5-0 in Game 1 when Jacobs coach Jeremy Bauer had to remove sophomore ace Kara Arceneaux from the circle after what Bauer said was shoulder soreness that affected her location, an evident problem after Arceneaux uncharacteristically walked 5 batters in her 3-plus innings.
Lake Zurich took advantage of the situation and proceeded to score 12 runs off reliever Amber Livingston, including 9 in the sixth inning.
Mattera, meanwhile, limited Jacobs to 2 hits, singles by Jenna Teson and Cassy Bencal, who was thrown out at second trying to stretch her hit into a double. Mattera struck out seven and walked four.
In Game 2, Bohac added a double to the Bears' offensive onslaught and allowed just 5 hits to pick up the win. Jacobs (8-7) did get home runs from losing pitcher Marissa Lombardo and Bencal.
"We were looking forward to the competition and we just didn't come ready to play," said Bauer, whose team had won two tough FVC Valley games during the week. "And, boy, did (Lake Zurich) hit the ball."