Softball: Warren's complete effort too much for Grayslake North
It was an all-around great performance by the Warren softball team Friday afternoon as the Blue Devils had plenty of success in all aspects of their game against host Grayslake North.
Warren (15-6) started off fast with two runs in the top of the first inning and the Blue Devils never looked back as they rolled to a 13-1 nonconference victory over the Knights.
The Knights did cut the lead to 2-1 right away in the bottom of the first as leadoff hitter Elyse Gawerecki scored on a fielder's choice RBI by teammate Nicole Hughes. But it was all Warren after that as the Blue Devils had 11 hits in the final four innings to coast to the win.
Grayslake North was playing without injured senior starting pitcher Gianna Certa for the second straight game due to injury as sophomore Amber Takaki started on in the circle for the Knights.
"They (Warren) are always a tough team, I've always enjoyed playing against them," said Grayslake North coach Amanda Rodriguez. "But we just didn't come out strong offensively so that hurt us."
Warren No. 6 hitter Ally Badgley reached base on a bloop single in the top of the second before scoring on a fielder's choice RBI by Nicolle Peter. Teammate Kaitlyn Weidemann also scored on the play on an error for a 4-1 lead.
Hannah Conger doubled and scored on an RBI single by Sophia Furniss in the third before Furniss scored on a bloop single by Weidemann for a 6-1 lead.
The big knockout blow to the Knights came in the top of fourth when the Blue Devils scored 6 runs on 5 hits for a commanding 12-1 lead. An RBI bloop single by Hannah Conger drove in Peter before Hailey Conger walked and later scored on a wild pitch for an 8-1 lead.
An RBI triple by Gabriella Olavarria drove in Hannah Conger for a 9-1 lead. Badgley hit a 2-run homer with two outs just to the left of the 202-foot sign in left-center for an 11-1 lead just after her foul ball was dropped moments earlier.
Then No. 7 hitter Weidemann hit a solo homer just to the left of where Badgley's homer went over the fence for a 12-1 lead. Hailey Conger singled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Olavarria in the fifth to account for the final score.
"She (Badgley) is a real power hitter, she gets under the ball and it always goes out," said Warren coach Jenna Charbonneau. "Kaitlyn (Weidemann) looks small, but she's got the power behind her. She works really hard in the weight room, and I think it shows. And she's got the power to get it out."
Junior Sydney Jackson went the distance on the mound to pick up the pitching win for Warren. The Knights got a double from Isabella Lizano in the second, and a double from No. 9 hitter Lauren Gaeding in the fifth. But both runners were stranded on base with no further damage in those innings.
"We're coming together at the right time I hope," added Charbonneau. "And top to bottom everyone came out hitting today."