Softball: St. Charles North's fast start does in St. Charles East
Setting an early tone, St. Charles North's softball team grabbed a 2-0 first-inning lead over St. Charles East on back-to-back home runs from Amanda James and Allison Moberg Wednesday afternoon.
The North Stars (8-2, 6-0) were far from finished offensively, however.
Bashing 14 base hits and scoring runs in all but two innings, the North Stars held off a late rally by the Saints (13-2, 5-2) for an 11-6 Upstate Eight Conference River Division victory at St. Charles East.
"The team is really building off of each other," said James, who added an RBI single during a 2-run third as well as several sparkling defensive plays at third base. "We're talking to each other and making sure we know what's coming when we step into the box. We have great team chemistry and our entire lineup can hit."
James launched her fourth home run of the season to put the North Stars on the board with 2 out in the top of the first inning.
Before her teammates could even return to their spots in the dugout, Moberg began another home plate celebration with a solo shot that caromed off the top of the fence for a 2-0 lead.
Falling behind 4-0 in the top of the third, the Saints countered with a 3-run bottom half of the frame that included 4 consecutive hits - highlighted by pitcher Jordan Hall's 2-run single and an RBI hit from freshman Paige Ligocki (3 for 4).
"Solo home runs - those don't bother us," said Saints coach Jarod Gutesha. "We found ourselves down 4-0 and answered right back."
The North Stars had an answer of their own.
Jordyn Wolfe stepped into a changeup and laced a 2-run triple down the right-field line before a sacrifice fly by Ashlyn Jozefowicz and an RBI double from Moberg (3 for 3, 2 RBI) extended the visitors' lead to 8-3.
"That's definitely a good answer," said North Stars coach Tom Poulin, whose team has won 7 of its last 9 regular-season meetings with its cross-town rival. "You know it's never going to be easy - East and North.
"We knew two (runs) wasn't going to get it done and four wasn't going to get it done. That's what we kept saying in the dugout."
St. Charles North upped the margin to 11-3 before the Saints began chipping away in the sixth against sophomore pitcher Jillian Waslawski (5-1).
Five consecutive hits, including an RBI single from Kelly Rinker (2 for 4, double) and Jordan Hieber's 2-run single, trimmed the deficit to 11-6.
After Delaney Devor's 1-out single loaded the bases, Madelyn Candre's line drive was snared by shortstop Allison Hausl, who fired to first for an inning-ending double play.
"If that goes through, it's an entirely different feel going into the seventh (inning)," said Gutesha.
"They can hit up and down their lineup," Poulin said of the Saints. "Jill (Waslawski) wasn't at her best but she battled. I'm happy we were able to get this one and move on to Glenbard North tomorrow."