Scott fires no-hitter, fans 18

It's no secret Burlington Central's softball team will have some of the best pitching in the area this season.

If season-openers are any indicator, that pitching could be even better than advertised.

Junior Mackenzie Scott opened BC's season Wednesday with a no-hit, 18-strikeout performance as the Rockets downed Streamwood 5-0 in the first game of a nonconference doubleheader at Rocket Hill.

Senior Erica Maisto then spun a 3-hitter in Game 2 as the Rockets completed the sweep with a 7-2 win.

"We did what we needed to do," said BC coach Scot Sutherland. "The pitching was what we expected and that was nice to see."

The Rockets scored in each of the first three innings of the opener and twice more in the sixth inning to salt the game away.

Junior Kayla Oranger scored 2 runs, had a hit and stole 2 bases in the win while Sam Gruner had 2 RBI and Abby Morrow also drove in a run for BC.

Scott walked 3 batters and the 18 strikeouts is her career high.

Barb Posinger suffered the loss for the Sabres, allowing 6 hits.

In the nightcap, Maisto allowed just 1 earned run, had 7 strikeouts and 1 walk.

The Rockets took a 1-0 lead in the third when Oranger (4-for-4, 3 runs, 2 SBs, RBI) scored on a wild pitch. BC then tacked on 3 runs in the fifth and 3 more in the sixth.

Ashley Scheffler was 2-for-4 with an RBI and 2 triples for Central while Gruner drove in 2 runs and Brooke Porto was 2-for-2 with 2 doubles and 3 RBI.

Kelsey Johnson suffered the loss for Streamwood, which broke the no-hit day up with a Posinger single in the fourth inning.

"It was good to be outside and see some people from a different school," said Sutherland, whose team is scheduled to play at St. Charles East at 10 a.m. today and then at Princeton at 4:30 p.m. Friday.

"We need to work on some things with our baserunning but you can only simulate so much in practice."