Wunderlich wonderful again for Redhawks

If a Natalie Wunderlich playoff shutout sounds like a broken record, this one started off-key.

Bartlett's Elizabeth Kay lined the first pitch of Monday's Class 4A supersectional at Benedictine University to left for a basehit. A passed ball moved Kay to second base with one out, jeopardizing the Naperville Central pitcher's 33-inning postseason scoreless streak.

"We were a little, how should I say it, nervous?" Wunderlich said. "But we did a great job of coming back. She's one of their best hitters - I play against her in the summer a lot. I just thought 'we got to get the next three hitters' and we did."

Wunderlich worked out of the jam, and faced the minimum the rest of the way to lead Naperville Central to a 2-0 win and the school's first trip to the state softball tournament in 20 years.

The Redhawks (31-6) will play the winner of today's Sandburg-Edwardsville supersectional matchup in a Class 4A state semifinal at 4:30 p.m. Friday in East Peoria.

Sweet music to the ears of Redhawks coach Andy Nussbaum.

"Seventy-three batters and 68 outs in the last three games," Nussbaum said, "Wow. We're playing great defensively, and Natalie is so confident on the mound and in such control.

"I was a little concerned in the first inning, because that's been kind of (Bartlett's) modus operandi in the playoffs, is scoring first. As a matter of fact, they won the coin toss and chose to be the visiting team so they could hit first. But Natalie's just not making any mistakes."

Wunderlich (21-5) struck out eight, including a punchout to end the first. Kay reached on a two-out walk in the third, but was thrown out stealing second. Wunderlich, who threw her fifth straight playoff shutout, retired the last 12 batters.

"We have a good hitting team," Bartlett coach Jim Wolfsmith said, "but she did a number on us today."

Equally impressive, Naperville Central played its fifth straight error-free game. Redhawks catcher Megan Silke made a lunging catch of a popup in the sixth, and third baseman Erin Graham snagged a liner from her knees in the seventh. Shortstop Kelsey Gonzalez made a pair of grounders on the short hop look elementary.

"Our infield," Silke said, "blocks everything hit to them. It's such a relief for both pitcher and catcher."

It was Silke who got the Redhawks on the board in the third. Kelsey Gonzalez and Stephanie Lynch singled off Bartlett pitcher Callie Dennison to start the inning.

The runners moved up on a groundout, and Silke lined a single back through the box to score both for a 2-0 lead.

"I kind of like being in the pressure situations," Silke said. "I wasn't thinking anything other than get a hit."

Dennison (18-12) struck out three and allowed 5 hits and a walk for Bartlett (22-15), whose season ended with the school's second Elite Eight appearance in three years.

A memorable postseason run included an upset of No. 2 sectional seed West Chicago in a regional final, and wins over DuPage Valley Conference champion Glenbard North and Upstate Eight champ St. Charles North in sectionals.

"I don't think a lot of people thought that a No. 7 seed in the sectional was going to end up in the supersectional playing to go downstate," Wolfsmith said.

"These girls will be proud of themselves when they're done being upset."