Geneva nips St. Charles East in 10

Locked in a scoreless battle with St. Charles East for 9 ½ innings, Geneva’s Elena Wright figured it was about time to go home.

“It was a long game,” said Wright. “I knew something had to be done.”

Wright’s first-pitch RBI single to right field sent a hard-charging Dori Rogers across the plate with the game’s only run during the Vikings’ 1-0 victory over St. Charles East (6-8, 4-3) in Geneva.

“I was thinking anything in play — I need a base hit to get her (Rogers) around,” said the junior shortstop. “I was aiming for the outfield because I knew with Dori’s speed that she’d make it home.”

Rogers had reached on a 1-out single to right-center before Taylor Medernach’s sacrifice bunt moved her into scoring position, setting the stage for Wright’s game-winning single — her first since last year’s Class 4A regional tournament.

“It has been a while,” said Wright. “It feels wonderful.”

The game featured pinpoint accuracy from the starting pitchers — St. Charles East’s Leah Valesh and the Vikings’ Kelly McCaffrey, and several defensive gems on a crisp day that wasn’t suited for offensive fireworks.

“Both teams looked real sharp in the field,” said Vikings coach Greg Dierks. “I don’t know if there was an error defensively.”

McCaffrey (8-4) allowed just 5 hits — all singles — while striking out 7 and issuing 1 walk in a workmanlike performance.

“She’s been on a nice roll here,” said Dierks. “We’ve had a full week off here without a game and she didn’t miss a beat. I thought she pitched very tough today.

“She did a particularly nice job on the middle of their order (the Saints’ 3-4-5 hitters were 1-for-11). She threw some real nice pitches. I didn’t see Clare (catcher Stribling) reaching very much for anything. They were in a nice rhythm with each other.”

Geneva (8-4, 4-2) had its best scoring opportunities in the early innings, as Rogers led off the bottom of the first with a double and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Medernach but was left stranded.

In the second, Kirsten Searcy led off with a single before Sarah Laster’s 1-out walk and stolen base put runners on second and third.

However, Valesh worked her way out of the jam, thanks in part to a diving shoestring catch by right fielder Olivia Lorenzini.

Geneva also threatened in the seventh with runners on second and third before Valesh retired Rogers on a fly ball to center fielder Lindsay Vellega.

“We had the situation where we couldn’t string two hits together in one inning the whole game,” said Dierks. “Some of the credit has to go to their pitcher (Valesh) and the defense behind her.”

“Leah did a fantastic job,” said Saints coach Kelly Horan. “She threw great.”

Senior Dani Asquini had a pair of hits for the Saints, who were unable to get their leadoff hitter on base in any inning.

“The game is a different one if we get our leadoff hitter on,” said Horan.

Saints sophomore shortstop Lexi Perez and junior second baseman Allison Hall turned in several outstanding defensive plays to help prolong the game.

“We were making plays here that we hadn’t made all season,” said Horan.