Efflandt, Cary-Grove shade Antioch
Lindsay Efflandt was so looking forward to playing a softball game outside with her Cary-Grove teammates again and under a sunny sky, no less, Wednesday.
The sophomore pitcher was excited to face Antioch ace Olivia Duehr, too.
“I have just the utmost respect for her,” Efflandt said. “I love playing against her. It's an honor.”
One problem for Efflandt: She didn't have a pair of sunglasses.
She absolutely needed them. So her dad, Bill, went out and bought her a bargain-priced pair, and brought them to the game.
“I totally forgot that I needed sunglasses,” Efflandt said.
The shades came in handy.
The poker-faced Efflandt struck out 12 and tossed a 3-hitter with no walks, as Cary-Grove shaded visiting Antioch 2-1, despite Duehr pitching a no-hitter with 10 strikeouts. The nonconference game was the season opener for two teams coming off tremendous 2010 springs.
Efflandt went 28-3 in pitching Cary-Grove to a Class 4A sectional championship. Antioch advanced even farther in Class 3A, finishing third in the state with a club that slugged a state-record 51 home runs.
Antioch coach Jeff Tylka noted that two years ago his team beat Cary-Grove to start the season and lost in the sectional. In last year's season opener between the two squads, Cary-Grove won, but Antioch made it to state.
“So hopefully this (Wednesday's outcome) is a sign of things to come,” Tylka said.
“We like opening with them,” C-G coach Tammy Olson said. “I think the two teams are very equal. We're extremely competitive, and it's getting to be a nice little rivalry.”
So is the Efflandt vs. Duehr pitching duel.
Efflandt, who also beat Duehr in last year's opener, had 10 strikeouts through five innings, having allowed only a third-inning single to Sequoits sophomore Kaylene Ressler.
Duehr had yielded just walks to Efflandt and freshman Lisa Semro through five.
But in the top of the sixth — Antioch was the “home” team because the game was originally scheduled to be played on its field — Cary-Grove's Sara Markelonis led off by bunting. She was a safe on an error, bringing up the top of the order.
Eleni Polites then bunted herself. Duehr fielded the ball, but her throw to first sailed into foul territory. When the throw into the infield got away, Markelonis sped home from third with the game's first run.
Polites then scored from third on an errant pickoff throw from the catcher.
“They made us make plays,” Tylka said, “and we didn't.”
Antioch manufactured its lone run in the seventh after Katie Keefe led off by reaching on an error. Amber Mysliwiec's one-out single advanced Keefe to third. Keefe scored on Katie Phillips' RBI fielder's choice.
In the Antioch sixth, pinch-hitter Jess Liszka boomed a double to the left-field fence, just missing a home run. But Efflandt retired the next two batters on a flyball and strikeout.
“I don't think we'll see anyone as good as her all year,” Tylka said. “And that's taking nothing away from (Shannon) Cooley from Lakes, (Kiley) Dolezal from Barrington and (Lake Zurich's Megan) Mattera. She really pounds the strike zone, and when you haven't seen it, it's tough.”
“It just feels great to be out here with the team again,” Efflandt said. “I love the girls. We've got such great team chemistry. We've all been anxious waiting to get out here and play together.”