Naperville Central edges Naperville North in ninth

Maddi Doane didn’t mince words about the final frantic scoring play Saturday in Naperville.

“It’s an ugly way to win,” said the Naperville Central freshman, “but it’s a win.”

Doane scored from second base on a dropped third strike and ensuing errant throw to first with one out in the bottom of the ninth, giving the No. 9 Redhawks a wild 2-1 win over Naperville North.

Doane poked an opposite-field single to lead off the ninth and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. With two strikes on freshman pinch-hitter Kaitlyn Skarecky, the third strike popped out of the catcher’s glove as Doane broke for third.

On the wide throw to first, Doane beat the relay back to the plate.

“When that ball went by the catcher everybody started screaming and I went to third,” Doane said. “Coach told me to watch for it and I watched, and what do you know, she overthrew it to first.”

Naperville North (6-6, 1-3 DuPage Valley Conference) had loaded the bases in the top of the ninth off Redhawks starter Alyssa Wunderlich (6-2) with a walk, hit batter and another walk.

But Wunderlich got a called third strike on a curve for her 10th strikeout to wiggle out of trouble.

“They made her work, but she competed all the way,” said Naperville Central coach Andy Nussbaum, noting that Wunderlich has given up just 1 run in her last 23 innings. “In the ninth we got into a little bit of a jam, but her demeanor stayed consistent.”

“You’re facing one of the best pitchers in the area, so it’s going to be tough to get to her,” said Naperville North coach Jerry Kedziora. “You have to take advantage of everything they give us and put the ball in play. That’s what’s killing us right now — no big two-out hits.”

The teams exchanged runs in the fifth inning, both with a little help from their opponent.

Naperville North’s Danielle Spizzirri singled leading off the top of the fifth and advanced to third on two successive bunts.

Naperville Central (12-3, 4-0) chose to intentionally walk Huskies leadoff hitter Sammy Marshall, but Wunderlich’s first throw was high and Spizzirri came home, kicking the ball out of Wunderlich’s glove on the slide.

In the bottom half Dana Dolehide beat out an infield single leading off, courtesy runner Rachel Skinner was sacrificed to second and took third on a wild pitch. Juliet Tassi’s hard-hit grounder to third was fumbled, she beat it out and the late-breaking Skinner scored ahead of the tag at home.

The Redhawks left eight runners on, had two more thrown out on the bases, but still found a way to get their seventh straight win and third one-run victory in four conference games.

“A little bit of old-time softball. You make a mistake, you’re going to pay,” Nussbaum said.

“We’re starting to develop that attitude that we’re going to get it done. It doesn’t matter how, it doesn’t matter who — we’re going to get it done.”