Downers Grove South upsets top-ranked Naperville Central
Erasing a 6-run deficit after an inning, No. 9 seed Downers Grove South stunned No. 1 Naperville Central 10-8 in Saturday’s final of the Class 4A Batavia regional.
Downers Grove South (20-10), down 6-0 an inning in, pulled to 6-5 with a 4-run third inning, then went ahead with a 4-run fifth. Caroline Hedgcock’s run-scoring single tied it, and Kaley Smith doubled in the go-ahead run. Jessica Andree and Caitlyn Daly both homered for the Mustangs, who pounded out 16 hits and advance to play Wheaton Warrenville South in Tuesday’s sectional semifinal at Neuqua Valley.
Laura Dierking and Keegan Hayes hit back-to-back homers in Naperville Central’s 6-run first, and Maddie Doane later homered for the Redhawks (32-4), who won their first 29 games this season. Losing pitcher Keegan Hayes (22-3) surrendered 11 hits, striking out two.
Downers Grove North 2, Oswego East 0:Elaine Heflin (16-4) fired a no-hitter, coming a sixth-inning infield error short of a perfect game, and struck out 17 for the No. 3 seed Trojans in the final of the Class 4A Downers Grove North regional. Ali Woitovich doubled in a run in the fourth inning and Kelsey Gockman singled in another in the sixth for the Trojans (25-8), who avoided a third straight regional final upset and advance to play Benet Wednesday at Neuqua Valley.WW South 8, Yorkville 6:Joanna Drew#146;s 2-run homer in the top of the eighth delivered the No. 13 seed Tigers (17-15) their first regional championship since 2007 in the Class 4A final at Yorkville. Hannah Keating doubled and scored on Drew#146;s one-out shot to left. Cam Briggs also homered for WW South.Glenbard North 8, Schaumburg 6:Sydney Benz#146;s two-out, 2-run homer in the bottom of the sixth snapped a 6-6 tie for the No. 2 seed Panthers (25-4) at the Class 4A Schaumburg regional. Glenbard North led 5-0, but Schaumburg tied it 5-5 on a homer by Paige Alt. Cece Dopart (7-0) relieved for Glenbard North in the fourth inning, and threw a perfect sixth and seventh to preserve the lead.York 5, Whitney Young 4:The Dukes scored 4 runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to win a back-and-forth final of the Class 4A York regional. York led 1-0, but Young scored 2 runs in the sixth and 2 more in the seventh to go ahead 4-1. Isabella Jaeger#146;s 2-run homer pulled York within a run, Taylor Pankau singled in Sarah Milkowski with the tying run and the game-winner came in on Hannah Latimer#146;s sacrifice fly that scored Gracie Sullivan.Montini 13, Wheaton Academy 1:Alyssa Sclafani hit a 2-run home run, her 11th of the season, in a 4-run first inning, and Sara Ross added a 3-run shot in a 9-run third inning for the No. 1 seed Broncos (27-10) in the final of the Class 3A Payton regional. Cristina Barrett went 3-for-4 with a run scored and 2 RBI, Isabell Alexander tripled twice, scored 2 runs and drove in a pair and Shaylee Lewis was 3-for-3 with 2 doubles, 2 runs scored and an RBI for Montini.Glenbard South 12, Solorio 0:Stephanie Chitkowski and Taylor Carli combined on a no-hitter, striking out 13, for the No. 1 seed Raiders (26-5) in the final of the Class 3A Glenbard South regional. Hannah Taylor was 3-for-3 with a run scored and 2 RBI and Aimee Gerhardt 2-for-3 with 2 runs scored and an RBI.