RJ Slavicek gets Lockport off to good start in win over Lincoln-Way West

LOCKPORT — RJ Slavicek has a job to do for the Lockport softball team.

As the Porters’ leadoff hitter, she is supposed to get on base for the hitters behind her to knock her in. She did that and then some Friday in a 4-1 SouthWest Suburban Conference win over Lincoln-Way West.

Slavicek finished the day 3 for 4 with two runs scored, which is not a huge surprise. The surprise came in her first at-bat, leading off the bottom of the first. She worked the count full and then shocked the crowd by launching a home run over the fence in left-center.

“That was my third home run this year,” Slavicek said, “but it was my first one at home. It felt good when I hit it. I was just trying to make contact. Then it went over the fence, and it felt amazing going around the bases.

“It seems like every game we play is a big game because of how good all the teams in our conference are. Today was another one of those.”

Despite the strong wind blowing out, pitchers Kelcie McGraw of Lockport and Abby Brueggmann of Lincoln-Way West kept the score down.

It was 1-0 until the bottom of the fourth. Lockport’s Taylor Lane (2 for 3, double, 2 RBIs) led off with a single. Two outs later, Alexis Vander Tuuk walked before Marie Baranowski singled to center to score Lane for a 2-0 Porters lead.

Lockport (21-9, 10-4) added to its advantage in the bottom of the fourth. Slavicek led off the inning with a single, and Addison Way reached on a bunt single. McGraw grounded to second to move the runners up a base, and they both came home when Lane doubled to left-center.

The Warriors (19-11, 7-8) got on the board in the top of the sixth. Molly Finn singled with one out, and Kaylea Armstrong followed with a single of her own. Brueggmann then launched a ball that nearly went out, but hit the top of the fence. Finn came around to score, but both Armstrong and Brueggmann were on second at the same time, and Armstrong was tagged out.

McGraw then ended the inning with a strikeout.

McGraw threw 6⅓ innings, scattering eight hits and striking out seven. Bridget Faut got the final two outs for the save. Oddly, on a day as windy as it was, none of the outs by Lincoln-Way West came on ground balls. There were seven strikeouts, 13 fly outs and a runner tagged on the basepaths.

“RJ set the table for us, like she has done all year,” Lockport coach Marissa Chovanec said. “Kelcie threw the ball very well. We talked about keeping the ball out of the middle of the plate, and she did a nice job. She had them off-balance a lot, and they popped a lot of balls up. And Bridget did a good job in relief.

“What I have really liked about this team is the energy in the dugout. We lost a lot of seniors from last year, so the early part of the season was a little rough. But they never got down or lost their energy, and they are connecting and getting better. Our defense did a good job today, too. We talk about controlling what you can control, and we have done well fielding the ball.”