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JOLIET – Sophia Patterson was trying to do what she had been taught Thursday when she came to bat for Plainfield Central in the top of the seventh inning against Joliet West with the game tied at 7.
“I was just trying to stay calm,” Patterson said. “I’ve had coaches tell me to take a deep breath, so that’s what I did.”
Patterson worked the count full, then fouled off the next pitch, bringing up another full-count, bases-loaded, two-out pitch. This time she got just enough bat on it to bloop the ball over the West second baseman and bring home teammate Laney Barbic with what proved to be the winning run in an 8-7 Southwest Prairie Conference victory.
“I took a deep breath with a full count, then I fouled it off, so I had to do it again,” Patterson said. “This was a fun game overall, and we needed to get this win.”
The Wildcats (7-9-1, 3-2 SPC) got off to a strong start, scoring twice in the top of the first. A sacrifice fly by Emma Sommerfeld scored Evelyn Prochaska, and Maeve Carlton followed with a solo homer to center.
Joliet West (2-12, 1-5) had a quick answer. Caitlyn Jadron and Maddie Woods started the bottom of the first with singles, and Ella Featherston followed with a bunt single. The throw to first got away, allowing Jadron and Woods to score. The Tigers had runners on first and third with one out, and Hope Hughes laid down a squeeze bunt that scored Featherston to give the Tigers a 3-2 lead.
The Tigers tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the third to move out to a 5-2 lead, getting a run on a single by Hughes and then on a double steal, with Alaina Grohar stealing home.
Plainfield Central rallied in the top of the fourth. Carlton led off with her second home run of the game. The Wildcats scored on a throwing error to make it 5-4 and put runners on first and third. Prochaska, batting right-handed instead of her customary left-handed stance, looped a single to center to score Abby English and tie the game at 5. Another throwing error allowed Melody Mojica to score before Emma Sommerfeld singled to right to score Prochaska and put Central ahead 7-5.
“This is a bit of a new thing for Evalyn,” Plainfield Central coach Kate Welsh said of Prochaska’s turnabout at the plate. “She has more pop when she’s hitting right-handed, and that was the time for it. It’s nice to keep that option open.
“This team can battle and put the ball in play. [Starting pitcher] Kierney Latarewicz got us through almost six innings, and Emma Sommerfeld closed the door. Maeve Carlton is seeing the ball well right now. Up and down the lineup, we can do damage, and we play good defense.”
With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, the Central defense opened the door for West, as two straight grounders were booted and put runners on first and second. After a wild pitch moved the runners up a base, Mackenzie Mielke singled up the middle to score both runs and tie the game. Two walks loaded the bases, and Sommerfeld came in to pitch for Central. Laci Cole then hit a screaming line drive, but it was right at Prochaska at short for the third out.
“That’s been the story of our week,” West coach Heather Suca said. “We get the bases loaded and hit one right on the nose, but it’s right at someone. The next inning, they get the bases loaded and hit one off the end of the bat that finds an opening. That’s how it’s been going for us.
“I give our girls credit. They never quit. I can’t be more proud of the way this team has been fighting. We have to keep up that attitude and keep going hard. If we do that, we’ll get this monkey off our back.”