Borders leads Grayslake North at Maine West
Grayslake North slugger Kelsey Borders and the Knights softball team crossed the Lake County border to play in Cook County on Monday.
Borders, a junior third baseman, acclimated herself just fine in a doubleheader in Des Plaines against host Maine West.
All she did was go 6-for-8 with 2 home runs, 2 doubles, 1 triple, 5 RBI and 5 runs in the two games.
The Knights scored 9 runs in each game, winning one.
Maine West’s Alyssa Bojarski scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the seventh inning to give the Warriors a wild 10-9 victory in the opener.
Grayslake North senior Kristina Gandy threw a 4-hit shutout in Game 2 for a 9-0 triumph.
“We have nine returning players from a 22-11 team so we have some solid batting,” said Grayslake North coach Molly Jones. “We have some great senior and junior leadership throughout the lineup.
“Kelsey can catch and play third base. She really hit for us and we got big contributions from others in our lineup.”
Knights sophomore pitcher Nikki Livengood (0-1), who took the loss in Game 1, went 4-for-4 in the opener, missing the cycle by a home run.
Junior shortstop Jordyn Bowen and second baseman Jessica Davis each went 2-for-4.
The Knights tied the game in the top of the seventh with 4 runs, including a clutch 2-run homer to right by Borders which followed Bowen’s infield single.
Maine West won the game in the bottom of the inning when winning pitcher Ariel Smolik-Valles (3-1) drew a leadoff walk.
Pinch runner Bojarski stole second, advanced to third on an infield error and scored on a passed ball with two outs.
“On a passed ball or wild pitch, she was going,” said Gonzales, whose top hitters in Game 1 were Gina Larucci (2-for-3, double, 3 runs), Angela Cruz (2-for-3, 2 runs, 2 sacrifices), Hanna Udischas (2-for-5), Brie Montmarquette (2-for-4, 2 runs, 2 RBI), Renee Pond (2-for-4, double) and Abbey Herling (2-for-3).
“Everyone hit in the first game, which is something we hadn’t been doing,” said Maine West coach Amy Gonzales, whose team is 3-3. “We got contributions from one through nine
“Unfortunately, we didn’t do that in Game 2. But we are getting there slowly but surely.”
Larucci, who reached base four times in the opener and was retired on a hard-hit fly out to right, played shortstop in the first game and caught in Game 2.
“That was an interesting game,” said Larucci of the opener. “Sometimes you have to just wait for the big innings where you get the momentum shifts (the Warriors scored 4 run and the third and sixth innings). Then when you get in that situation at the end where you need a run, you just have to pull together as a team.”
Warriors all-area shortstop Holly Wengerski is sidelined with mononucleosis.
“That’s the toughest thing right now,” Gonzales said. “We don’t have Holly so we have players in positions they don’t normally play. It will probably be at least two more weeks (before Wengerski can return).”
The Knights (1-2) were playing their second and third games of the season, and they had their bats ready to go.
In Game 2, they scored 3 runs in the first and never looked back.
Four-year starting catcher Brooke Tracy led off with a single and came home on Gandy’s single.
Livengood and Davis also had RBI in the inning.
Davis led the Knights by going 4-for-5 with 2 doubles and 3 RBI while Livengood (double), Gandy and Borders (home run, double) were 3-for-4.
On the mound, Gandy (1-1) scattered 4 hits and struck out nine for her first win of the season.
Gandy said the quick 3-0 lead put her in a good frame of mind.
“It’s a safe zone,” said Gandy, who is pitching to Tracy for the fourth season on the varsity. “It’s very comfortable and everyone feels it. Our team just works together. It’s all of us. Losing that first game at the end like we did lit a fire under on us.”
Jones agreed.
“Everyone was a little disappointed after that first game,” she said. “We made some errors (4) that were uncharacteristic. But it gave the girls some motivation to step up in the second game and they definitely did.”