Connolly, West Chicago earn split
As Mary Connolly’s 238 strikeouts last year prove, no area pitcher can dominate a game single-handedly more than the West Chicago senior.
This year, though, she aims to use her friends behind her more.
Connolly was the picture of efficiency Wednesday, needing just 76 pitches while striking out seven in an 11-1, six-inning win over St. Charles East in the first game of a doubleheader at Pioneer Park.
St. Charles East took the second game 10-7.
“I want to keep my pitch count down more, rely more on my defense,” Connolly said. “I have a great defense behind me and I need to use them. I need to not always rely on myself to get the job done.”
Connolly and West Chicago had lost its season opener the day before, 5-3 in nine innings to Marist. Connolly threw 152 pitches in that one.
“It was a little sore, but it was good to come back and get the win,” Connolly said. “Losing yesterday, we wanted to bounce back as best as possible and I think we did. It was good to see our bats come alive.”
West Chicago pounded out 16 hits in Game 1, 11 more in the second.
Connolly went 4-for-4 with 2 doubles and 2 RBI in the first game and added a 3-run homer in the second, and Jen Konchar went 4-for-4 in Game 1 and drove in 3 runs.
Leadoff hitter Jessica Wood, who went 4-for-4 on Tuesday and scored all 3 of West Chicago’s runs, reached base her last 7 at-bats of the doubleheader with 4 singles, and scored 6 runs.
“Jessica Wood, I went up to her and said, ‘I think you should strive to be the best outfielder in the DVC this season,’” West Chicago coach Kim Wallner said of her junior center fielder. “She’s swinging the bat well.”
Wallner also hopes to see an economical Connolly this spring, to maximize the DePaul-bound ace’s time on the mound. Connolly (1-1) walked just one Wednesday and took a no-hitter into the fifth, yielding three hits for the game.
“I’m still learning to call the pitches for her. We’re still a work in progress,” Wallner said. “It just saves her arm a little bit, because I told her I want her throwing as many of our games as she can. She’s looked pretty good, and she’s only going to get stronger.”
In Game 2 West Chicago tied it 2-2 in the third on Connolly and Rachel Johnson RBI singles. But St. Charles East (2-1) came back with 4 runs in the fourth inning and 4 more in the fifth, capped by Rae Anne Payleitner’s two-run homer to center.
Connolly’s three-run blast in the bottom of the fifth cut the lead to 10-5, and West Chicago got 2 more runs in the sixth. But the Wildcats left the bases loaded.
West Chicago (1-2) was hurt by 4 errors in the second game.
“They cleaned up their defense a little bit in the second game,” Wallner said, “and we didn’t. I want us to be sound defensively and we’re not there yet.”