New Trier edges Maine W.

Less than 10 months ago, Maine West won the biggest softball game in the program’s history when it defeated New Trier in 10 innings for its first sectional crown.

The two teams met again Thursday in Des Plaines in an early-season Central Suburban League crossover.

Although the two teams didn’t go to overtime this time, they played another entertaining game that went down to the wire.

Allison Quigley, who suffered the loss in relief last June, was ready for the challenge this time and helped lead the Tevians to a 3-2 victory.

The junior right-hander (2-0) retired the first 10 batters she faced and finished with a 4-hitter, 3 strikeouts and 1 walk.

Maine West ace Ariel Valles (1-1), who won that historic sectional game 4-2 last season, kept her team in the game by throwing a 6-hitter with 4 strikeouts.

“Everything was working pretty well for me and Lee (Fisher, catcher) caught a great game,” said Quigley, who was 7-3 last season as Trevian’s No. 2 pitcher. “I just try to take the same approach, whether I’m pitching against a good team or a bad team.”

A one-out walk to catcher Gina Larucci in the fourth inning broke up Quigley’s perfect game.

But the Warriors, trailing 3-0, didn’t score until the fifth when Renee Pond led off with a bunt single for the Warriors’ first hit.

Quigley retired the next two batters before Valles lined a single down the left field line.

Pond came home from third base on Erin Ross’ infield single.

Warriors leadoff batter and shortstop Holly Wengerski then singled home Valles from second base to make it 3-2.

“In that fifth inning I told the girls they had to take at least three good swings in each at-bat, the probabilities of good things are just more in your favor,” said Maine West coach Amy Gonzales. “We didn’t have a lot of good swings the first four innings. She’s (Quigley) a very good pitcher and she had more movement than the pitchers we’ve seen so far this year.”

New Trier veteran coach Jon Cadwell liked the way Quigley adjusted late in the game, using more change-ups when the Warriors were catching up to her speed.

“Maine West (4-1) is a good team,” he said. “They did not fold or back off at all when we got ahead. They take good swings and don’t get flustered when they’re in the hole.”

Quigley did not give up a hit in any other inning but the fifth. She used her inside pitch to help keep hitters off balance.

“That inside pitch is always tough on hitters,” Gonzales said. “If you’ve got movement like that, you can keep them guessing.”

The Trevians capitalized on a passed ball and an error to score 2 runs in the top of the first.

They added their third run in the second inning when Fisher doubled to center with two outs and scored on leadoff batter Mimi Morris’ single.

Quigley threw a 2-hitter with 11 strikeouts in the Trevians’ season-opening 4-1 win over Glenbrook North on Tuesday.

“We talked about last year’s game (against Maine West) all day and that definitely pumped us up,” Quigley said. “It was a chance to redeem ourselves and we were excited to do that. It actually helped that it was my loss last year because I really wanted to come back and show what I could do.”