Softball: Lake Park happy to be home again
Tuesday's 12-5 home win over Glenbard West was further indication, according to Lake Park softball coach Tom Mazzie, of the benefit of the team's spring break trip to Tennessee.
"We're 5-1 in Illinois and we were 1-4 in Tennessee. We faced some tough Ohio teams and there were some close games," Mazzie said. "We faced some good pitching that will prepare us for the rest of the season."
It was Lake Park's fourth straight victory and pushed the team to 6-5. The Lancers finished with 11 hits, including some strong bunting that turned into infield hits.
Lake Park took a 2-0 lead in the first inning with two outs when Gabby Vargas doubled to left. That brought home Abbey Rodriguez and Gwen DeWaele, who both reached on fielder's choices as the Glenbard West got two runners out at third.
The Hilltoppers (2-5) responded with three runs in the second to take their only lead.
Alize Aranda led off with a double to right center, followed by a walk to Angie Slager. Mallory Small's one-out single to center brought Aranda and Slager home. Allison Ciero then singled to score Small.
Lake Park racked up 5 runs on 4 hits in the bottom of the second. Vargas' 2-run single and Eliza Belter's RBI single were the big hits of the inning.
Vargas said losing the lead was big motivation.
"We were down after they (Glenbard West) went ahead. When the inning started, we started racking up the hits," Vargas said.
Glenbard West cut the Lancers' lead to 7-5 in the fifth. Stacia Gregule and Ava Hartsell led off with doubles. Hartsell's double drove in Gregule, and Aranda's single scored Hartsell.
The Lancers racked up 5 more runs in the fifth. Abbey Frank started the inning by depositing an 0-2 pitch over the center-field fence.
"I was just looking to put the ball in play and get a hit," Frank said.
DeWaele's RBI single to right was the other key hit of the fifth.
Winning pitcher was Brianna Pisauro. In 4⅔ innings of work, she struck out six, including the side in the fourth. Reagan Goffron finished, and both hurlers earned the praise of Mazzie.
Glenbard West coach Mary McGrane said the young Hilltoppers are a work in progress but are making progress.
"We had our chances. Our performance at the plate was awesome," she said. "Every single game we're growing. They are learning from their mistakes and fixing things for the next game."