No letdown for South Elgin vs. Larkin this time
South Elgin softball coach Jason Schaal was quick to remind his team Thursday what happened the last time the Storm played Larkin.
In that April 14 game, South Elgin had a 3-0 lead on the Royals after three innings, only to see Larkin come back and win 4-3.
On Thursday, the Storm made sure there would be no Larkin comeback.
South Elgin again took a 3-0 lead after three innings, but this time the Storm erupted for 10 runs over its next two at-bats and downed the Royals 13-0 in a five-inning Upstate Eight Conference game played in a steady rain on Elgin's west side.
"We had a 3-0 lead the first time and (Larkin) started getting a couple hits and beat us 4-3," Schaal said. "So when we got up 3-0 today I just said to the girls, 'Hey, we've been here before.' They kept their foot on the gas and had a couple great innings."
And, the Storm (13-17, 8-10) got another fine pitching performance from sophomore Sam Bolin, who allowed just 4 singles. She struck out eight and walked four, two of them in the bottom of the fifth when the rain took its toll on everyone on the field.
"We just needed to make sure we came out focused and ready to go today," said Schaal. "The postseason is ahead and that's what we're looking at. We need great pitching, great defense and great hitting and we got it today."
South Elgin scored twice in the second and once in the third off Larkin starter Kiernan Schock. Victoria Watt and Kara Rodriguez drove in runs with groundouts in the second and Alyssa Krause doubled home a run in the third.
The 5-run fourth inning was highlighted by Bolin's RBI single and a 2-run double from Krause. The 5-run fifth saw Courtney Bosteder draw a bases-loaded walk for an RBI and Rae Bosteder deliver a 2-run double. Larkin (9-22, 6-13) committed 5 errors in the game as well.
Bolin gave the Royals little to work with, although she did have to pitch out of bases-loaded jams in both the second and fifth innings. She did so in the second by striking out Larkin's No. 8 and 9 hitters to end the threat and then she recorded another K with the bases loaded in the fifth to end the rain-soaked affair.
"It's a setback but our goal is to improve on every conference game in the second round and this was the only one we didn't," said Larkin coach Larry Hight, whose team lost its sixth straight. "It's just one game. They got us today, but to split with South Elgin is fine with me. They've got a good team. Hopefully we'll come back and play better (today)."
Alex Buhrow, Megan Johnson, Nikki Banks and Kelsey Lodge had Larkin's hits. Katelyn Stonecipher, Courtney Bosteder, Rae Bosteder, Krause and Bolin each had 2 hits for South Elgin.
Each team is scheduled to hold its Senior Day activities today. South Elgin is slated to play Elgin at Judson University, with an approximate first pitch at 7:45 p.m. Schaal said if the game gets rained out, the Storm will play Elgin at South Elgin at 10 a.m. Saturday, followed by a 1 p.m. UEC finale against East Aurora. The two-time defending regional champs then travel to Glenbard West at 4:30 p.m. Monday for the play-in game of the Class 4A Elk Grove regional.
Larkin is scheduled to host St. Charles East at 4:30 p.m. today for its Senior Day. The Royals then open the postseason against Hoffman Estates on Wednesday in the Class 4A Streamwood regional.