Wheaton North tops WW South in 12
Rachel Holaway knew how well she hit the ball — even if nobody else in Wheaton on Monday did.
The Wheaton North senior's deep drive to center carried out for a tie-breaking 3-run homer in the top of the 12th at Wheaton Warrenville South, and the Falcons went on to a 4-1 win.
“Right when it hit my bat I knew it hit the sweet spot,” Holaway said. “I knew it was going to go far.”
Natalie Leahy led off the 12th in a 1-1 game with a bad-hop infield single off the WW South third baseman. Paige Wilson then roped a double to straight center, putting runners at second and third.
One out later, Holaway hit a fly ball that WW South center fielder Timmie Rappe started in on, then went back and watched sail over the fence.
“It wasn't even a thought in my mind that it was going over,” Wheaton North coach Karen Calabrese said, “and then it just kind of never came down. Needless to say a nice surprise.”
Holaway's homer was her first extra-base hit of the season. She broke a bone in her left wrist longboarding last summer, and had two surgeries on it. Holaway only had 17 at bats coming in, but was hitting over .400 and went 3-for-5 and reached base four times on Monday for Wheaton North (8-4, 2-0 DuPage Valley Conference).
“When I first went back I had to build it up, do physical therapy,” Holaway said, “and I finally got it back to normal. Now it doesn't hurt at all.”
The two teams traded runs in the first inning. Kelsey Ullrich doubled in Leahy in the top of the first. Sarah Skurla singled to lead off the bottom half and came around to score on an error.
WW South (13-9, 1-2), which had scored 17 runs on Saturday in a doubleheader at Downers Grove South, managed just 1 hit and 2 baserunners after the third inning against Wheaton North starter Kahla Nolan.
Hannah Granger (9-6) was a hard-luck loser for the Tigers, striking out seven. She had worked out of a bases-loaded, two-out jam in the 10th.
Holaway's home run was the first given up by Granger this season. Bekah Munday's third-inning single was WW South's only hit out of Tigers hitters 2-4.
“We've been hitting so well, we've averaged like 7 or 8 runs a game,” WW South coach Denise McCance said, “so to score 1 run is pretty disappointing.”
After a shaky first two innings, Nolan (6-2) settled down to retire 14 batters in a row until a two-out single in the seventh. WW South only had one runner reach second after the third off Nolan, who struck out seven. Nolan has allowed just 1 run in five of her six wins.
“Much better hitting her spots, changing her speeds, getting movement on the ball and staying mentally tough,” Calabrese said. “She's not letting hits get her down and she's missing in the right spots.”
Wheaton North's win is the Falcons' second in its last at bat in two DVC wins. It doesn't get any easier, with games the next four days against West Chicago, Naperville Central, Glenbard North and Naperville North.
“It's going to be a big week for us,” Calabrese said. “Hopefully the girls use this as momentum, to see the kind of team that they are.”