Willowbrook prevails in eighth
Willowbrook softball coach Rachel Karos said Wednesday's 4-3 win in 8 innings over Glenbard South was typical of the recent contests between the teams.
"It's been incredibly offense-filled the last couple of games. There's been key hitting," she said.
And it was key hitting that got the win for the Warriors (9-3) in their half of the eighth. With one out Erin Sporer reached on a fielding error. Then Jordan Marczewski's well-placed groundball turned into an infield hit with Sporer safe at third after surviving a rundown and Marczewski taking second. Francesca Santelli was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
Courtney Ruchala had a 1-2 count before connecting on a sacrifice fly to center that scorer Sporer for the winning run.
Glenbard South (7-2) kept the fight up in its half of the eighth when Taylor Carli smashed a single to the left-center-field fence. But a double play soon ended the game.
Ofensively for Willowbrook, Alex Kassal was 3-for-4 at the plate, as was Marczewski. In the seventh Kassal singled to center with one out. Sam Schmidt followed with a single to left which was mishandled. That scored Marczewski to tie the game at 3 and moved Schmidt to second.
In the fifth Kassal tripled to right and scored on Schmidt's sacrifice fly to center to give the Warriors their first lead of the game at 2-1.
Willowbrook got the game's first run in the fourth when Sporer singled and scored on Santelli's basehit.
Pitcher Zoe Dannenberg worked all eight innings in getting the win, giving up 8 hits and striking out 6.
"It's a good win. We need to build upon it. It's the best team ball we've played in a while," Karos said. "At the end of the game, we were getting less strikeouts and it showed you can make things happen if you get the ball in play."
Glenbard South finished with 8 hits overall, 6 of which came in the two innings that they scored. The Raiders tied the game at 1 in the fourth when designated player Holly Taylor hit the ball hard off of Dannenberg's glove for an infield hit. Freshman Bailee Flanagan then came through with her first of 2 RBI on a single to center, scoring Taylor.
In the sixth Ashley Cohen led off with a double to left. Catcher Mina Marra reached on an infield hit. Lexie Cross was brought in to run for Marra. Next came Taylor's single to left, scoring Cohen. Flanagan's groundball out brought home Cross.
While the Raiders put forth a healthy amount of offense, three errors on defense played some sort of factor in three Willowbrook runs.
"We need to step back and reflect and not beat up on ourselves. It's about getting better every game," said Glenbard South coach Julie Fonda. "We have a cut-off throw that's 6 feet from the target. That can't happen, and hopefully next time it's in a difference place."
Fonda also was not surprised at the nature of Wednesday's game.
"During my tenure this game has been about who had the last opportunity and that was the case today," she said.
The Raiders finish the week with a trip Thursday to Metro Suburban West foe Aurora Central Catholic and a visit to Naperville North on Friday. Willowbrook hosts Morris on Friday and is at Reavis on Saturday for a twinbill.