Kestas, Naperville Central blank West Aurora

Lindsay Gonzalez just wanted to get a few hits to help out her pitcher, Julie Kestas.

Not that Kestas needed much help.

"That's for sure. She pitched great today," Gonzalez said.

Kestas threw a 2-hitter, stifling the West Aurora bats in a 6-0 Naperville Central victory Wednesday at the Class 4A Downers Grove South sectional semifinals. The Redhawks will play the host Mustangs, the sectional's top seed, at 11 a.m. Saturday in the final.

Kestas (20-4) struck out seven Blackhawks and gave up 4 walks, three of them to cleanup hitter Carley Frauenhoff. Kestas hasn't lost a game since April 22, a run of 15 straight wins.

"We've had a hard time scoring off Kestas the last couple of years," West Aurora coach Randy Hayslett said. "... Our best at-bats were probably in the sixth inning."

The second-seeded Blackhawks (28-9) didn't hit a ball to the outfield until the sixth inning, when Taylor Podschweit and Cara Jimenez flew out around a Hannah Beatus single, all to right field.

"The girls were great," Redhawks coach Andy Nussbaum said. "I mean, from everybody. I couldn't ask for more than what we got today. We got a really solid mental effort."

The No. 6 seed Redhawks (26-8), who have won 15 of their last 16 games, scored their first run in the third inning when Lisa Tassi drove in Gonzalez with a double after Gonzalez walked. Tassi has reached base safely in 11 of 12 postseason at-bats, her first-inning strikeout being the lone out and just her second strikeout of the season.

"I'm just trying to stick to whatever I've been doing this season," Tassi said. "The goal for me is just to get on base and to do what's good for the team."

Naperville Central added two more runs in the fifth inning, Gonzalez and Tassi scoring on a wild pitch and a Kestas sacrifice fly, respectively.

"We could have held them down a little bit better," Hayslett said. "We had a couple of defensive lapses there too. We didn't bring our 'A' game today."

The Redhawks padded the lead with three more runs in the sixth. Gonzalez, who went 3-for-3 with a walk and an RBI, scored her third run of the game in the sixth.

"I think I was being a little more patient with the bat and wanting to help out Julie in any way possible," Gonzalez said.

"Lindsay Gonzalez had an average regional," Nussbaum said, "and then today she was on base every time."

Katie Lamich and Caitlyn Patton also crossed the plate in the sixth.

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