Softball: Big day with the bats for Bihun, Conant

Conant softball coach Cathyann Smith gave her three captains a day's rest on Saturday.

But the rest of the Cougars hardly took the day off.

The all-underclassmen lineup belted 23 hits, led by junior Morgan Bihun's career-best 6-for-6 performance that missed the cycle by a triple.

Coincidentally, the always-hustling third baseman did reach third base on one at-bat when she singled and an error was made on the play.

The Cougars' 23-1 victory, in which they batted around twice in a 13-run seventh inning, allows them to clinch the Mid-Suburban West crown with a victory against visiting Palatine on Monday.

The Cougars (22-4, 14-0) are 2½ games ahead of Fremd (21-4, 11-2) with two to play.

Bihun's big day raised her batting average to .538.

"Morgan is a player," Smith said. "She just really knows how to play the game. She reads a pitch well. And she knows how to play the corner."

"We were all really hitting, which was nice," Bihun said "Honestly, it's just one hit at a time, one play at a time, one strike at a time. I just hope we can keep playing like this."

With ace pitcher Sara Neuman (17-0) taking the day off with her catcher Dream Aaron and shortstop Lauren Grzelak, sophomore Jac Carlucci took the pitcher's mound and took full advantage of the opportunity.

The right-hander tossed a 2-hitter and struck out six to even her record at 2-2.

Both hits for Wheeling (0-18, 0-14) came in the bottom of the fifth (Wheeling was the home team on the scoreboard because the game was scheduled for its diamond which was unplayable to the previous night's rain).

Abby Greenspan's one-out infield hit down the first base line set up the Wildcats' rally. She advanced to second on a wild pitch and came home on Kirsten Wilhelm's two-out single to center.

The Cougars had 2 homers. In addition to Bihun's leadoff blast to right in the third inning, junior Ally Lira belted her second homer, a 2-run shot with no outs in the Cougars' 13-run seventh.

Other multiple hitters for Conant were catcher Sydney Correa (4-for-6), Delaney Szwed (3-for-4), Sara-Kate Pasbrig (2-for-3), Lira (2-for-3) and Paige Nallen (2-for-3).

Makenna McCarthy, Jackie Burchfield (double, 2 walks), Sam Gadomski and Carlucci (double) also had hits for Conant.

"It was nice to get the game in despite all the rain we've had," Smith said. "I'm really proud of Jackie (Carlucci) to come in and pitch some strong innings. And we played good defense behind her."