Softball: Baker whips up a dominant effort at Warren
Pitcher Hailey Baker takes pride that she's not that tall, yet throws harder than most.
Prairie Ridge was the guest of Warren's softball team on Saturday. In conditions more like a February day, the Wolves used a pair of 5-run innings and the 2-hit pitching of Baker to pin an 11-0 five-inning defeat on the Blue Devils.
The fans at Warren came out in salute of purple day for their fallen friend, Sherry Wagner.
This was the third game honoring the late Mrs. Wagner. Her daughter, Jana, was the starting pitcher for the Warren squad that won the state title two years ago. Mrs. Wagner was a big help in Warren's special recreation department.
Baker struck out six in her 5 innings. She also was not a stranger to some of the Blue Devils players, as Baker plays her travel softball with the Illinois Chill.
"I was super pumped for this game," said Baker, a junior who's committed to Illinois. "I wanted to show my friends a different perspective."
Baker allowed Crystal Pennell's booming double leading off the second inning and a fourth-inning single by catcher Sabrina Trevino. And that was it.
"Hailey did a great job," Prairie Ridge coach Mike Buck said. "Her control was very good."
The Wolves (22-4) batted around twice in their two 5-run rallies. Leadoff hitter Maddie Schillinger batted twice in both the first and fourth innings.
In the opening frame, Kaitlin Leverenz delivered a 2-run single. Freshman first baseman Maggie Schremp followed with another RBI single.
Baker had 5 runs to work with and she fanned two of the three batters she faced in the Warren first.
"She was very good," Warren coach Jenna Charbonneau said after her Blue Devils fell to 18-12.
Warren's lone threat came in the second. Pennell's blast to left put her at second with no one out. Caitlyn Britton reached base the hard way via the hit by pitch. Again, Baker took control of the game with two more strikeouts.
Warren starter Sage Staranowicz settled down, and in the third inning she struck out the side.
Prairie Ridge struck again in the fourth. Schillinger again led off with a walk and added her second stolen bag. Schremp had another RBI single.
"This is one the best hitting clubs I've had here," Buck said.
Sara Wolf's infield hit drove in another run.
If there was some good news for the Warren pitching staff on this wintry day, it was that Staranowicz and reliever Hannah Nommensen retired Prairie Ridge third baseman Haley Barnes three times. That's noteworthy because on Friday, Barnes hit 3 homers and drove in a school-record 12 runs in a Prairie Ridge win.
Prairie Ridge scored its last run without benefit of a base hit.
Warren did not have a base runner after the Trevino single, as Baker retired the final six Warren hitters in order.