Addison Wolf, St. Charles East bats go wild in five-inning victory over Neuqua Valley

MINOOKA — St. Charles East senior Addison Wolf was more than ready to get back into the swing of things.

After only picking up one hit over the Saints’ last four games, which came on a bunt single against Downers Grove North, the Maryville softball commit was hoping that the start of a new week would bring her back into a groove.

Luckily enough, it did

The Saints put up 13 hits across five innings, with eight of them going for extra bases, as they went on to a commanding 12-0 victory in five innings over Neuqua Valley at the Go Pro Dome.

“I’ve been kind of getting back into the swing of things,” Wolf said. “My swing hasn’t really felt right, but this game definitely helped me get my confidence back.”

The Saints were playing in their first indoor game since 2021, when they got a 15-0 victory over Hampshire at the Rosemont Dome in Des Plaines.

Prior to the game, the Saints (5-3) had only managed four hits over their last four games. So after seeing each of the first four batters of the game record hits to start the contest, Saints coach Jarod Gutesha said that he was more than happy to see the bats come to life consistently.

“The teams we played for the last four fames, you’re not going to get a lot of hits,” Gutesha said. “But coming into this game, the bats were just on fire. We were hitting the ball on the barrel and making them move.”

The bats for the Saints were on display early and often in the contest, with the majority of the offense coming from the first five batters in the lineup, who combined for 11 hits and 11 RBIs.

Wolf led the charge, going 3 for 4 at the plate, which included a solo home run in the third inning and a triple in the fifth. She also drove in three runs, while crossing the plate four times.

“Gutesha thinks of me as a power hitter,” Wolf said. “Whatever sign he gives me, I trust him and do it.”

Behind Wolf, senior Alyse Price (3 for 4, triple, 2 RBIs), junior Hayden Sujack (2 for 4, 2 RBIs) and junior Lexi Majkszak (2 for 3, two triples, 3 RBIs) also helped aid the offense.

And with hitting performances like that following her in the lineup, Wolf said it’s part of the reason she enjoys batting from the leadoff spot. And it’s also part of the reason Gutesha likes to have her there.

“Earlier in the year, we had Wolf in the three spot to back up Sujack with some power,” Gutesha said. “But we just needed to mix things up after everything that was going on last week, and so we put her back at the leadoff again like she was last year.”

On the mound, the duo of junior Makayla Van Dinther (three innings, six strikeouts) and senior Kyli Dunn (two innings, two strikeouts) helped shut down the Wildcats (2-1), with the Neuqua’s only hit of the day coming on a single from senior Krista Waldusky in the first inning.