St. Charles North leaves St. Charles East in foul mood

St. Charles North's offense can beat teams with its power, with its speed and with its foul balls.

Foul balls?

It sure seemed like St. Charles North fouled St. Charles East to death Tuesday in its 9-2 win at St. Charles East (9-7, 5-5).

In the first inning the North Stars fouled off 13 pitches, forcing Saints starter Katie Stengler to throw 37 pitches as the North Stars jumped ahead 3-0.

In the fourth inning the North Stars (17-2, 7-1) fouled off 13 more pitches in a 4-run inning. They finished hitting 38 foul balls... along with 16 hits and 9 runs.

"She (Stengler) was nailing us a little inside so we had to fight them off," said St. Charles North left fielder Emily Watts said. "Once we found our pitch we were good."

The common thread to those long first and fourth innings? North Star catcher Annie Korth came up in both innings and continually fouled off every tough pitch Stengler delivered.

In the first Korth fouled off four pitches before drawing a walk.

In the fourth she fouled off five pitches before smacking a 3-run home run into the wind down the left-field line that gave the North Stars a commanding 8-2 lead.

"I had to get my timing down," Korth said. "That's why I was pulling everything. It worked out fine for me. I just had to get her speed down."

Korth, who tied Taylor Russell and Amanda Ciran for the team lead with 3 home runs, plays summer softball with Stengler.

"She doesn't get frustrated (by the foul balls) but some pitchers get tired when they pitch all those," Korth said. "Katie hung with it and pitched it good."

Loren Cihlar started the first inning rally with a bunt single. She scored on Sydney Russell's opposite field triple over left fielder Steph Roan's head. Sydney Russell scored on a fly to center and Taylor Russell came in on a wild pitch for a 3-0 lead.

The Saints scored their two runs in the first two innings. Mary Kate Brooks doubled and scored on Jenny Niemiec's double in the first, then Roan doubled home a run in the second.

That was all St. Charles East mustered against Ciran, who scattered 6 hits to improve to 8-0. She struck out eight, including six straight in the middle innings.

"My rhythm wasn't working those first two innings but the defense kept the runs down," Ciran said. "It could have been a lot worse than it was. I settled down and got my rhythm and started going at them."

St. Charles North played an error-free game behind Ciran. Among the highlights was flawless fielding by the left side of the infield, Natalie Capone at shortstop and Taylor Russell at third. First baseman JuliaClare Plezbert snared a liner in foul territory and stepped on first for a double play to end the sixth inning.

Watts delivered 3 of the North Stars' 16 hits from the No. 9 hole, and the 1-4 hitters - Capone, Cihlar and the Russell sisters - combined for 10 more. Sydney Russell ripped a long double to go with her triple.

Right fielder Ashley Seering left in the sixth inning with an ankle injury she suffered Monday in P.E. class. Jenna Trusso took over in right field.

"They are hitting the ball and they keep coming after it," North Stars coach April Stary said. "They don't lay down, they don't roll over. They just keep coming after it. And that's inning after inning after inning."

Roan led the Saints with 2 hits.

"They (St. Charles North) are a good team and they played well today," Saints coach Kelly Horan said.