Batavia surprises St. Charles North

Coming into this week with a .348 average and 32 RBI, few players have produced the numbers this spring as Batavia junior Katie Ryan.

But when you set the standard as high as this Dayton-bound center fielder did when she clubbed 18 home runs last year as a sophomore, she has been her own toughest critic with 2 home runs as Batavia traveled to St. Charles North Wednesday.

Ryan broke her home run drought in the second inning when she took St. Charles North’s Shannon Caliri over the fence in left-center. That turned out to be all the offense Batavia starter Katie Neubauer needed to knock off the Upstate Eight Conference River Division-leading North Stars 2-0 in St. Charles.

Ryan certainly has seen a different approach from opposing pitchers who have rarely challenged her following her record-setting sophomore season.

“She’s still doing well at the plate,” Batavia coach Ashley Szymski said. “I know she’s not doing as well as she would like. It’s hard. You have such a standout season everybody knows who you are then pitchers pitch to you differently and make it more difficult. If the word gets out on what your weakness is you are going to see it all the time. She just wants to hit. She wants to have that home run for the team. It’s probably more mentally tough on her. I’m behind her 100 percent.”

Szymski dropped Ryan from third to fifth in the order Saturday against Plainfield Central and Ryan hit fifth again Wednesday.

Ryan’s homer came on an 0-2 pitch.

“I don’t think she (Caliri) made a mistake, I just think I got lucky to be honest with you. I think it was a pitch I probably shouldn’t have swung at it. I guess I just hit it square on the bat,” Ryan said.

“I was happy with it especially since I haven’t hit a home run since the beginning of the season. You see a lot more outside pitches. I definitely put pressure on myself after last season. I try not to.”

Batavia (16-13, 7-8) scored the game’s only other run in the third inning. A two-out error kept the inning alive for Neubauer who helped herself with an RBI double down the left-field line.

Neubauer (7-4) worked the outside corner all day. St. Charles North managed just 2 hits, both singles from cleanup hitter Emily Brodner in the second and seventh innings.

“I was throwing low, outside,” said Neubauer. “The umpire was giving it to me so it worked. My team was really there to back me up. A good team effort.”

Neubauer struck out six batters and walked none. North Stars starter Caliri also was sharp matching Neubauer with 6 strikeouts and no walks though Batavia did outhit St. Charles North 6-2.

Ryan had 2 of those hits in a win the Bulldogs hope can give them momentum heading into the postseason.

“We haven’t beat them in awhile, definitely a big morale boost,” Ryan said. “We need that.”

Szymski said Batavia’s improved play started Saturday in a 10-inning game against Plainfield Central, the No. 4 seed in the East Aurora sectional that the Bulldogs are seeded 10th.

“It showed them if they come to play and are ready they can win,” Szymski said. “It’s all in their mindset. Today was a great win. They felt really good about it. In the last inning you got the sense they wanted to shut the door.”

The lightning quick game was over at 5:25, a pace helped by a St. Charles North team that didn’t work any deep counts.

“Our approach at the plate the last two days has left a lot to be desired,” North Stars coach Tom Poulin said of a 3-0 win over Elgin Tuesday. “We have to be able to manufacture a couple runs and back Shannon up. She pitched very, very well. We need to regroup and get back to swinging the sticks the way we know how.”

The North Stars (15-12, 11-4) still hold a two-game lead in the loss column over Elgin with four conference games to play — against Larkin, Streamwood and a pair with the Saints.

“We need a cushion if we swing the bats like this,” Poulin said. “We put ourselves in a good spot. You have to play every single game, the games in the beginning of the year are just as important as the games at the end. We have the opportunity to be champions of our division and I think for a team of our youth and inexperience that we have at the varsity level I think that would be a great accomplishment.”