Softball: West Aurora digs early hole in loss to Oswego East
Mia Corres was in an unfamiliar position Tuesday afternoon for the start of the Southwest Prairie Conference West softball opener.
"It was my first time being the leadoff batter," the Oswego East junior said. "It was really fun. I tried not to put too much pressure on myself and get things started for the team."
Corres did just that, beginning the Wolves' first inning with a ringing double to center; in her next at-bat, in the top of the second, Corres parked a two-run home run to left-center field.
Oswego East did all of its damage in the first two-plus innings, unearthing its entire offensive output in an 11-5 victory over West Aurora.
The Wolves' starting pitcher, Emma Salis, waited until the final out to record her only strikeout of the contest in going the distance for her third consecutive win without a blemish.
Oswego East improved to 5-1 overall, 1-0 in the league; the Blackhawks fell to 3-4, 0-1.
Corres scored the first of the Wolves' four first-inning runs on the back end of a double steal.
Gracie Vlach and Morgan Robertson followed Corres' first of two extra-base hits with consecutive singles as Madye Greenwood had the key hit - a two-run single - to ignite the Wolves' productive first at-bat.
The second inning was even more of a harbinger for the Wolves' offense as seven out of eight batters reached in succession during a five-run uprising.
May Pasqualini scored in front of Corres' blast to improve the Wolves' lead to 6-0.
"I made sure to swing through the ball," Corres said of her two-run clout.
Mary Kate Quaid later added a two-run double in the Wolves' second, and Greenwold capped the outburst with another run-scoring single.
Salis retired the first six West Aurora batters she faced in order to send the Wolves back on offense.
Pasqualini and Vlach both scored on manufactured runs as Robertson had the Wolves' final extra-base hit - a double - during the inning.
But Oswego East would never score again after West Aurora coach Randy Hayslett summoned Alyssa Perkins into the game.
Normally No. 1 in the Blackhawks' rotation, Perkins bewildered Oswego East for their final four and two-thirds innings with an arresting array of off-speed pitches.
Salis' perfect game soon ended as well as Mia Malczyk touched the senior right-hander for a two-run home run in the bottom of the third.
"That was my first (home run) ever," Malczyk said. ""I'm the (No.) 9 batter, so I get a lot of time to see where the pitches are going. At first I thought it was foul, but then I saw (the base umpire) do his little hand spiral."
In their half of the fourth, the Blackhawks struck for three more runs as Sara Archer roped a run-scoring double to the gap in left; Perkins and Archer scored the final two runs of the game on a two-out misplay in the outfield.
But Salis steadied the rudder to end any further suspense.
"I am more of a contact pitcher," Salis said of her chief characteristic on the mound. "I rely on my spin so (the opposing players) hit the ball to the (defensive) players. Today (the Blackhawks) were getting a little more contact than usual. But we backed it up with a lot of hits."
"This conference is tough," Hayslett said. "We have to build on the positives at the end. (Perkins) has had some pretty good stuff this year."