Powerful reasons for having Benet’s McGuire in the leadoff spot

Benet coach Jerry Schilf worried how ready his team was for a doubleheader last Saturday, with good reason. Prom lasted late the night before. A rain-soaked field delayed first pitch an hour.

Maeve McGuire put those anxieties to bed.

McGuire homered leading off both ends of the doubleheader, and Benet swept Joliet Catholic to maintain its 1-game lead over Marian Catholic in the East Suburban Catholic Conference race.

McGuire ran the count full leading off Game 1, then unloaded on a mammoth shot into the wind over the fence in right. Next game, same thing, this time to straight center for McGuire’s area-leading 14th homer.

“It just set the tone,” Schilf said.

McGuire, a junior committed to Georgia, would hit third or fourth on just about every other area team. Schilf likes her leading off a stacked lineup to maximize her at-bats, and it’s hard to argue with him.

McGuire is hitting nearly .700 leading off games this season with 12 doubles and 4 homers for the 28-4 Redwings. McGuire is leading DuPage County in batting average (.584), hits (59, tied with teammate Marissa Panko), runs (60), doubles (22), homers and has driven in 41 runs.

“If she gets on, or hits the ball with authority to start things, I feel we’re in charge,” Schilf said. “She leads the way. When she does what she does, it just deflates the other team. It sends a statement.”

McGuire could drop to third or fourth next year, but leading off works for now. Four other Redwings have driven in over 40 runs, including Kendall Duffy, Julianne Rurka, Stephanie Abello and Emily York, who leads the area with 60 RBI. And McGuire is no free swinger. She has drawn 19 walks.

“She doesn’t swing at bad pitches,” Schilf said. “I’ve had hitters where first strike they see, they’re swinging. Not Maeve. She gives our other hitters a chance to see everything a pitcher has.”

Lions look ready for playoff run:

Jen Pomatto hasn’t allowed her Lisle Lions to look ahead all year, and she isn’t going to start now.

But she must be confident about a return trip to East Peoria.

Lisle (26-3) opens Class 2A playoff action today against the Plano-Aurora Christian winner at the Plano regional. Lisle, the top seed and winners of 16 straight games, has beaten three of the four other teams at Plano by a combined score of 39-3. The Lions beat Immaculate Conception, their probable opponent in the sectional semifinals, 5-0 over the weekend and beat potential supersectional foe Morrison 8-1.

“I never take anything for granted, but we are playing well right now,” Pomatto said. “Everything is clicking at the right time. We cannot be overconfident, though. Anybody can get beaten at any time. We can’t control who we play, but we can control how we play.”

Lisle is well-prepared for the playoffs. The Lions won the Interstate Eight North Conference title on the last day of the season, with Lisle beating Wilmington. Lisle beat Morrison and IC Saturday despite a relatively off day from its best hitter, Valparaiso-bound Mackenzie Buchelt.

Lisle has won four straight sectionals, but no doubt the girls are thinking bigger than that.

“I liked how we came out and got the job done and played some good softball,” Pomatto said. “Our kids know what they are capable of.”

IC, led by Indiana commit Katelyn Conenna, is the top seed and definite favorite at the Timothy Christian regional. The Knights (26-7), who set a program win record on Friday, are 7-0 against the five other regional teams. By far the closest game was an 8-5 win over No. 2 seed Mt. Assisi back in March.

Willowbrook on cusp of winning season:

Rachel Karos and her predecessor as Willowbrook coach, Jim White, weren’t sure the last time the softball program had a winning record.

Both agreed, though, that’s been a while.

That should change soon, as the Warriors are 17-13 heading into the season’s home stretch. Willowbrook has won seven of its last eight games, the lone loss a 1-0 defeat to Leyden. The Warriors won Fenton’s Bison Blast over the weekend, with Darian Pelsor throwing two no-hitters.

“To win 17 games with three freshmen starting and a sophomore center fielder, I definitely think it’s a good sign for what the future holds,” Karos said, adding “and I don’t think we’re done winning.”

Willowbrook went 9-20 last year, and Karos noted “we were in position to win games. I just don’t think we knew yet how to win games.”

The culture is changing in Villa Park, of that Karos is certain.

Not only do the Warriors have the 17 wins as evidence, but they’ve also played quality programs like Glenbard South, Leyden and Glenbard West to within a run or two. Karos gives kudos to her seven seniors, including starters Lizzy Kalal, Gabby Torres and Megan Creighton, for paving the way.

“Teams that used to look past us, they’re not looking past us any more,” Karos said. “Something we’ve preached is that there is no ‘supposed to lose.’”