Nowak takes charge as Bartlett blanks Streamwood
Bartlett's softball team continued to find the winning formula when the Hawks traveled to Streamwood for an Upstate Eight Conference crossover matchup on Wednesday.
Alyssa Nowak tossed a complete game, allowing 4 hits and walking 2 to go with 3 strikeouts, and the Hawks produced 5 runs on 6 hits to shut out the Sabres in a 5-0 victory.
"This is always a big game for us as a local rival," said Hawks coach Jim Wolfsmith, whose team improved to 8-2 overall, 2-0 in the UEC. "Streamwood always plays us tough, but we got some hits when we needed them and Alyssa pitched a great game."
The Bartlett offense tallied single runs in the second, third and fourth innings and took advantage of a couple defensive miscues from the Sabres in the seventh for a pair of unearned runs. The first 3 runs all came with two outs.
Nowak (2-for-3) hit a one-out double in the second inning, and courtesy runner Lauren Janczak scored on Susan Miceli's two-out single.
Kelly Walsh (2-for-2, 2 runs) led off the third with a single, stole second, advanced to third on Sydney Johnson's sacrifice bunt and eventually scored on a two-out single by Kayla Haberstich (2 stolen bases).
Walsh drove in Janczak on a two-out single in the fourth for the 3-0 lead. Dana Paul picked up an RBI in the seventh inning.
Improving to 3-0 in the circle, Nowak got some help from her defense as Streamwood (0-3, 0-2) had baserunners in all but one inning and got its leadoff batter on base four times.
Bartlett center fielder Alex Morales snagged a couple hard-hit line drives, including in the third inning after the Sabres got a leadoff single from Taylor Williams. With one out, Natalie Filippo hit a liner that looked destined to reach the fence for extra bases, but Morales got her glove up for a running catch, then fired the ball Amy Johnson at first base for a double play.
"I think the defense gives me more confidence in the circle," Nowak said. "I know they always have my back, and that allows me to concentrate on my pitches."
Andrea Rodriguez doubled for Streamwood, and Kaitlyn Hedger (0-3) struck out 4 and walked just 1 batter in a complete-game effort. Despite the 2 errors in the seventh, Streamwood's defense saw some solid plays, including from center fielder Mercedes Olmos, whose 4 putouts included a running catch that robbed Paul of at least extra bases if not a home run in the fifth inning.
"Bartlett, that's a state championship caliber program," Sabres coach Nick Baird said. "They're always expecting to make a push for state, and I thought we played with them. The effort was great, but we just need to clean up the mistakes."S