Softball: Geneva sweeps Wheaton North

Through its first three games, Geneva's softball team has displayed a potent offense capable of applying consistent pressure to opponents.

Fresh from an 11-9 season-opening victory over Kaneland last Wednesday, the Vikings (3-0) strung together back-to-back double-figure offensive efforts during Saturday's nonconference doubleheader sweep of Wheaton North (0-3) in Geneva.

Geneva scored 9 runs over the last three innings to pull away to a 13-4 triumph in the first game, and rallied to take the nightcap, 10-7.

"I'm very happy with the way we played," said Vikings coach Greg Dierks. "I believe everybody that played either scored a run or had an RBI and several had both."

In the opener, Wheaton North jumped out to a 2-0 first-inning lead, benefiting from a pair of defensive miscues by the Vikings.

After Lucy Gerry walked, Alleigha Burau reached on an infield single and a throwing error allowed the runners to take second and third, respectively.

Another error on a pickoff attempt at second base allowed Gerry to score the game's first run. Burau scored the second run on a double steal attempt where baserunner Maggie Will gave herself up in a rundown.

"Defensively, we made like three mistakes the whole game and they were all in the first inning," said Dierks. "After that, our defense was good."

Geneva took the lead for good with a 4-run second that featured a 2-run single by sophomore Katie Keller and run-producing base hits from Kate Geary and Kaitlyn Plocinski.

"The four (runs) we got in the second inning were all with two outs," said Dierks. "That was a nice answer to get us back ahead and relax us a little bit."

Wheaton North cut its deficit to 4-3 on Burau's RBI single in the third before the Vikings countered with a 3-run fourth.

Following leadoff walks to Annika Radabaugh and Kaitlyn Plocinski, junior Molly Wrenn ripped an RBI single through the middle to make it 5-3.

One batter later, senior pitcher Rachel Fanella (1-0) delivered an RBI single and sophomore Megan White added an RBI groundout as the Vikings extended their lead to 7-3.

Wrenn, who went 2-for-3 with 3 RBI and was hit by pitch twice, stroked a 2-run single in the fifth and sophomore Ali Dierks slammed a 2-run double to left in the sixth to cap the scoring.

"I enjoy hitting when there are runners on base," said Wrenn, who had 11 runners on base during her five plate appearances in the first game. "I feel like the pressure helps me."

Burau went 3-for-3 for the Falcons.

"We started off pretty strong - it's just a matter of being able to carry that through the whole game," said Falcons coach Danielle Soraghan.

Radabaugh, who reached base five times in Game 1 with 4 walks and a hit by pitch, went 4-for-4 with a home run, 2 RBI and 3 runs scored in the second game.

Keller (3-for-4), Kaitlyn Plocinski (2-for-4), Taylor Mraz (2-for-3), and Sarah Baurer (2-for-3) enjoyed multihit games for the Vikings.

Dierks (1-0) picked up the win while Emily Plocinski fired a pair of scoreless innings in relief.