Fox Valley softball notes: St. Charles North, Hampshire head into postseason with momentum

Pitching and defense certainly have helped coach Tom Poulin’s squad to the best record in the area.

The North Stars (21-2 overall) won the DuKane Conference with a 12-2 mark, finishing a game ahead of town neighbor St. Charles East. North’s lone conference losses were to Lake Park (by 1 run) and Glenbard North (2 runs).

In the circle, Carrigan Rich (10-1, 44 strikeouts, 62 1/3 innings, 2.02 ERA) and Abby Zawadzki (10-0, 58 strikeouts in 66 innings, 2.22 ERA) have been strong. “Carrigan and Abby have been effective in the circle and our defense has been consistent behind them all season, except for one game,” Poulin said.

The hitting isn’t terrible either for the North Stars with Ella Heimbuch hitting .507 with 34 hits and 18 steals, Zawadzki hitting .422 with 9 homers and 40 RBI and Julianna Kouba hitting .408 with 31 hits, 11 doubles and 29 RBI.

Poulin also praised the play of sophomore Sienna Woodmancy, who in her first 19 games, was hitting .424 with 4 doubles, 3 triples, 2 homers, 21 RBI and had scored 22 runs. “Sienna has had a great season so far,” he said. “She has played very well defensively at second base and in left field.”

North is the No. 1 seed in the upcoming Class 4A Bartlett sectional and opens play in the Class 4A Rolling Meadows regional Tuesday.

Aurora Central Catholic update: Catcher Aly Salazar has caught all but 1 game for the Chargers (7-17 overall), has thrown out 6 runners to go with a .968 fielding percentage and only 4 passed balls allowed. “Aly is an unsung hero,” ACC co-coach Gab Danger said. “She has been solid. We would not have success without her behind that plate.”

Pitcher Corina Maratea had 159 strikeouts and a 1.20 ERA to start the week. She went all 9 innings in a win against Chicago DePaul Prep recently. Maratea led off the bottom of the ninth with a walk and scored on Morgan Vaghy’s triple.

“Corina has been pushed physically and mentally this season in the circle, but always steps up for her team and leads the way,” Danger said. “Her pitching and hitting has led us to our wins this season and has kept us in tight races. She is a constant in the circle and shows up to compete day in and day out.”

Speaking of Vaghy, she is hitting .439 with 3 homers, 8 triples and has a .894 slugging percentage.

ACC opens play Tuesday in the Class 2A Marian Central Catholic regional in Woodstock.

Aurora Christian update: Grace Kendall started the week hitting .633 for the Eagles (8-12-1, 6-8 Chicagoland Christian Conference). “Grace has been a key player for us both offensively and defensively,” Eagles coach Tonia Logan said.

The Eagles are a No. 4 sub-sectional seed in the Class 1A Indian Creek sectional. “We are a young team,” she said. “This year, it’s about growing, getting experience and building a foundation.”

Cary-Grove update: Paityn Ahlquist (.432 hitting, 1.354 OPS, 5 homers, 1 grand slam) and Ella Grim (.367, 20 steals) have been constants for the Trojans (7-20 overall to start the week). Cary-Grove is a No. 4 sub-sectional seed in the Class 3A Belvidere North sectional.

“A constant has been our resilience and perseverance,” Cary-Grove coach Cara Neff said. “We have made many comebacks in many of our games.”

Hampshire update: Hampshire (20-6 overall and a Class 4A No. 3 sub-sectional seed) won the Fox Valley Conference (15-3) thanks to an 8-6 win over Huntley (14-4) Thursday.

Addi Edlen leads the team offensively, hitting .463 with 11 homers and 33 RBI. Coach Jeremy Bauer pointed of the Whips, who open Class 4A regional play Wednesday against Rockford Guilford at Rockton Hononegah, are averaging more than 9 runs a game. Bauer said pitching also has been key, particularly in FVC action. “Our pitchers are keeping us in most games,” he said. “In conference games, the most we lost by is 3.”

Huntley update: Lyla Ginczycki (.500 hitting, 6 homers, 43 RBI), Akron commit Aubrina Adamik (.483, 42 runs, 35 steals) and Piper Heimbrodt (.479, 7 homers, 41 RBI) lead the way for the Red Raiders (22-6, 12-2 Fox Valley), who are a No. 1 sub-sectional seed in the Class 4A Barrington sectional.

Larkin update: The Royals (10-13) have been led at the plate by Ali Herrick (.509 hitting, .659 on-base, 41 RBI, 22 walks). “Ali has been huge at the plate and in the field for us all season,” said Royals coach Megan Johnson Morado, whose team is a No. 8 sub-sectional seed in the Class 4A Barrington sectional. “She is a constant force batting.”

St. Charles East update: Hayden Sujack was hitting .453 with 14 home runs and 31 RBI to start the week with a .580 on-base percentage. Brynn Maple was hitting .383 with 13 doubles, 8 homers and 25 RBI.

The Saints (23-8 to start the week) have benefited from the strong pitching of Makayla Van Dinther (15-3, 1.41 ERA, 107 strikeouts, 12 walks) and Hannah Wulf (7-4, 0.55 ERA, 155 strikeouts, 18 walks).

“Our pitching has been consistently effective and will be tough in the postseason,” Saints coach Jarod Gutesha said. “Offensively, we are generating runs against all levels of pitching.”

East opens play in its own Class 4A regional Tuesday. The Saints are the No. 2 seed in the Bartlett sectional.

St. Edward: The Green Wave have been battling Woodstock Marian Central and Kankakee McNamara for top positioning in the Chicagoland Christian Conference.

St. Edward downed Bishop Mac in a thrilling 9-8 game after trailing 6-1 at one point. Facing McNamara’s top pitcher in relief late, Sophia Spencer (walk) and Sophia Velasco (hit), the Green Wave’s 7 and 8 hitters, reached base ahead of Sarah Gurley parking a 3-run homer off the centerfield scoreboard.

Pitcher Alaina Nolan, who has received a Division I offer from Columbia University, broke the school’s all-time strikeout record and has now gone over 800 for her career.

Offensively, leadoff hitter Sarah Gurley has 6 homers, 8 doubles, 4 triples, 48 hits and 29 RBI to go with a 1.183 slugging percentage. Kendall Pemberton (.433 batting), McKenzie Fitzpatrick (.400 batting) and Gurley (.676) have all contributed, as have Nolan, Layney Dawson and Francesca Buono.

“Hitting and pitching is our strength,” St. Edward coach Jerry Kublank said. “We are still working on consistent defense. Some games are good and others need improvement.”

Kublank said Dawson and twin sister, Taylor, also have been big helps. They have 28 RBI between them. The Dawsons were on the Green Wave state finals girls basketball team coached by their mom, Michelle.

“I call them, in my mind, the gamers or dynamic duo,” said Kublank, who is in his final season as a head coach after 55 years in a variety of sports and more than 30 in softball at Palatine (30), Saint Viator (9) and St. Edward (11). “Between them they have helped with our defense.”

In a 10-0 win over Chicago Hope Academy, Gurley went 3-for-4 with a triple and a homer, while Nolan threw a 1-hitter with 12 strikeouts and also went 3-for-4 at the plate. Kendall Pemberton was 3-for-4 with a double.

St. Edward (12-9 overall) is the No. 1 seed in the Class 1A Indian Creek sectional and opens play in its own regional at the Elgin Sports Complex Wednesday.

South Elgin update: The Storm won the Upstate Eight West title with a 10-0 mark.

Jenna Sheehan has contributed both with her bat and in the circle, hitting .563 (.708 slug) with 7 doubles and 14 RBI, while going 8-2 with 57 strikeouts and a 2.90 ERA. Other offensive contributors for coach Brad Reynard’s squad include Ava Lazare (.510, 5 doubles, 4 homers, 25 RBI, 23 runs), Liv Miller (.483, 6 doubles, 4 homers, 25 BRI, 24 runs), Adreana Hauser (.462, 30 hits, 24 runs), Charlotte Rzenno (.441, .941 slugging, 5 doubles, 4 homers, 24 RBI), Kaidence Rumachik (.424, 14 RBI, 21 RBI) and Emma Bell (.420, 4 doubles, 2 triples, 23 runs, 13 RBI and 11 steals).

“Jenna, offensively, has been seeing the ball well all season,” Reynard said. “Even her outs are hit hard. Our freshmen Ava Lazare and Charlotte Rzenno have been playing extremely well.”

Rumachik also has helped in the circle, going 5-2 with a 2.13 ERA with 42 strikeouts.

West Aurora update: The Blackhawks (13-14 overall) clinched second place in the Upstate Eight West (9-2) behind South Elgin. West Aurora is a No. 11 seed in the Class 4A Yorkville sectional.

Bella Marzullo (.539 batting, 41 hits, 38 RBI, 15 doubles, 2 triples, 3 homers) and Gracie Del Toro (.500, 41 hits, 44 runs, 25 steals) have been key for coach Randy Hayslett, who noted the top 5 hitters in the West Aurora lineup have been solid all season.

In addition to Del Toro and Marzullo, Macie Spenny is hitting .315 with 3 homers and 22 RBI, while Bella Doyle is at .378 with 31 hits and 28 RBI and Kenzie Nelson-Wilmes is at .368 with 32 hits and 26 RBI. Hayslett added Del Toro (CF) and Maruzllo (SS) have done a great job replacing the graduated Keira Hayton (Missouri St. Louis) and Sara Tarr (Ohio State).