THE INSIDER: Softball
By JAY SCHWAB
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jschwab@kcchronicle.com
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Mackenzie Scott, Burlington Central, Sr., P
What she did: Scott struck out 18 batters in throwing a no-hitter on Saturday in an 8-0 Rockets win against Libertyville. She also threw four innings of no-hit ball Tuesday against Richmond-Burton.
Coach Scot Sutherland says: She’s just about there I think (after missing time with shin splints). She realizes there’s still a couple things she would like to have working better for her but, for the most part, she’s almost back.
HIGH FIVE
1. St. Charles North (15-9). A key win against Waubonsie Valley on Saturday keeps pitcher Amanda Engel and North surging in conference play.
2. St. Charles East (18-6-1). A 5-4 loss to a solid South Elgin team on Saturday could prove costly in the Upstate Eight Conference title hunt.
3. Kaneland (18-7). The Knights remain in contention in the Western Sun Conference but losing two games to Geneva could prove costly.
4. Batavia (12-10). Senior shortstop Alexa Schofield gave the Bulldogs a big lift offensively on Saturday in Batavia’s doubleheader split with Oswego.
5. Geneva (14-14). The improved Vikings need to find a way to score a few more runs down the stretch if they’re going to remain in the WSC hunt.
NOTEWORTHY
Postseason draw: The first time St. Charles North played Geneva, the North Stars eked out a 1-0 win on a Monday in which North coach April Stary wasn’t impressed with her team’s energy.
“We just do not wake up it doesn’t seem, for whatever reason, until Tuesday, whether it’s practice or games,” Stary said. “I know it was a Monday, and it was a slow start for us.”
Suffice it to say the North Stars will have a bit more bounce in their step the next time they see the Vikings.
The IHSA postseason pairings, released on Friday, include a Tri-Cities matchup in the first round of regionals: No. 5 seed North takes on No. 12 Geneva on May 27 in the Class 4A Lake Park Regional semifinals.
There is the potential for a second Tri-Cities meeting in a regional championship game. If No. 3 seed St. Charles East and No. 11 seed Batavia win their regional semifinals, the teams would meet in the 4A St. Charles East Regional championship game.
The Saints will take on the winner of Conant and Willowbrook in their regional semifinal, while the Bulldogs open with Glenbard North.
In Class 3A, Kaneland must deal with Burlington Central and its dynamite pitching – again – if it is going to survive in regionals. The Knights take on Hampshire on May 27 in the 3A Burlington Central Regional semifinal, and with a win, would likely take on the host Rockets in the regional final.
The Rockets and Knights are frequent postseason sparring partners, including last season, when Central eliminated Kaneland in a memorable 1-0 pitcher’s duel.
As for the North Stars, Stary and Co. have a conference title to chase before the rematch with Geneva. North and East are each atop the Upstate Eight Conference with only two UEC losses each.
North faces a critical week of conference play, starting today against Lake Park. Games with Neuqua Valley on Wednesday, South Elgin on Thursday and Waubonsie Valley on Friday will also go a long way toward determining the North Stars’ chances of bagging a conference championship.
“There aren’t too many non-conference games between now and [the end of the season] for us to have the luxury of not needing to win if we want to take a conference title,” Stary said.
Adding to her game: Burlington Central’s Mackenzie Scott has long been one of the area’s most feared pitchers but the Rockets senior has turned into a force with the bat, too.
A grand slam in Thursday’s win against North Boone was among three hits for Scott, who also went 2-for-3 with an RBI in Saturday’s win against Libertyville.
“In the past there were times where hitting didn’t really interest her, and then all the sudden about three weeks ago that’s what she wanted to do on a regular basis,” Central coach Scot Sutherland said. “It’s proved to work out pretty good for us, too.”
The emergence of Scott’s bat strengthens what has developed into a formidable Central lineup that also includes Texas El-Paso recruit Kayla Oranger, Brittany Priest, Lindsay Lange and Ashley Scheffler.
Scott is typically hitting between No. 6 and No. 8 in the Rockets’ order and, like on the pitching rubber, packs plenty of power.
“She can get some pop on it,” Sutherland said.
– Jay Schwab, jschwab@kcchronicle.com
COACH SLY SAYS
Coach Sly is having a hard time remembering a season with so many 1-2 pitching punches around the area. Only Batavia seems to have a clear No. 1 pitcher. Elsewhere, St. Charles East (Gaby Moe and Katie Stengler), St. Charles North (Amanda Engel and Amanda Ciran), Geneva (Kristyn Ruitenberg and Kelly McCaffrey) and Kaneland (Mallory Huml and Delani Vest) are tag-teaming it. Keeps the girls’ arms fresher, which is great, but nothing beats having a dominant, go-to pitcher in Sly’s softball world.
• For more of Coach Sly’s thoughts, go to kcchronicle.com/blogs/coachsly/.
