Caliva’s 8th-inning double gives Glenbard North win
One Alex Caliva swing made up for a game-full of Glenbard North missed opportunities.
The Panthers sophomore’s two-out run-scoring double snapped an eighth-inning tie, Lilly Fecho struck out 14 and No. 10 Glenbard North beat York 4-3 in the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday in Elmhurst.
Glenbard North (7-0) went on to sweep, winning the second game 8-0 behind Lindsey Cherry’s five-hit, nine-strikeout gem.
Tied 3-3 after seven innings, Panthers freshman Steph Campos singled to start the eighth and got to third on a misplay in the outfield. The next batter popped out on a squeeze bunt attempt, and on a Brianna Harn grounder to short Campos was thrown out at the plate.
What looked like a golden opportunity gone bad turned gold on the next pitch, Caliva lining Tessa Kroll’s first offering for a double to left to score the speedy Harn.
“I went up there with nothing to lose,” Caliva said. “I go up there relaxed and the pitch was right down the middle.”
Caliva’s hit was surely a sight for sore eyes to Panthers coach Josh Sanew. Up until then Glenbard North had left 10 runners on base, stranding the bases loaded in the fourth and seventh. The Panthers would have left the bases juiced in the first, too, if not for a two-out York error that allowed 2 runs to score. This, two days after Glenbard North’s bats were quiet in a 1-0 win at Bartlett.
“We’re giving ourselves opportunities and we’re getting people on base,” Sanew said, “we’re just not getting any big hits. We’ve had too many pop-ups and too many strikeouts with runners in scoring position. Caliva’s been swinging a great bat for us, though.”
In the bottom of the eighth, Caliva made a nice running grab of a pop-up in foul territory. She earlier made a gorgeous play on a grounder, diving to tag the first-base bag ahead of a runner.
“She’s playing an excellent second base,” Sanew said, “and she’s been one of our hottest bats as a sophomore. Love it.”
Fecho (4-0) didn’t need too much more help.
The Purdue recruit gave up 3 runs in the fourth on 3 singles — but only one of them left the infield. A two-out botched pickoff attempt allowed the third run in. It only seemed to make Fecho more determined, as she held York (2-5) hitless the rest of the way, retiring the last 11 batters.
“She started popping it and hitting her spots,” Sanew said, “and she really challenged them. That’s a senior pitcher being a senior pitcher.”
York ace Kroll (2-1) nearly matched Fecho, striking out eight. Glenbard North’s fourth-inning run was the first earned run Kroll has given up in three starts this year. Kroll’s RBI single in the fourth also scored York’s first run. Kroll, though, was hurt by two first-inning errors and the error in the eighth set up Glenbard North’s winning rally.
“Giving extra outs has killed us all season,” Dukes coach Drew McGuire said. “We’re giving up too many runs with two outs. Tessa pitched phenomenal and kept us in it. When we’re at full strength, and we’re not, I think we can compete with anybody and Tessa gives us a chance to do that.”
Cherry (3-0) was outstanding once again in Game 2, nothing new this season. In three starts she’s allowed just 1 run.
“She establishes the inside of the plate and then she has a beautiful changeup, which keeps hitters off-balance,” Sanew said. “It’s a nice problem to have right now, is two good pitchers.”
Harn was 4-for-5 with 2 runs scored an an RBI in the second game for the Panthers, Caliva 2-for-5 with an RBI and Rucha Amin 2-for-3 with a run scored and RBI. Alyssa Johnson was 2-for-3 for York.