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CRYSTAL LAKE — The best way to learn is through experience.
When Cary-Grove freshman Katy Wieczorek hit a towering shot over the left field fence Thursday at Crystal Lake Central, she stopped at second base.
“I didn’t know where the ball went,” Wieczorek said. “I thought (the left fielder) caught it.”
The freshman had never hit one over the fence before. After the momentary confusion, Wieczorek cleared all four bases with her first career home run under her belt.
“Next time, I told her, she can enjoy it because she might know what happened,” Trojans coach Tammy Olson said.
The solo home run was one of many highlights for C-G in a 17-4 win over Crystal Lake Central in five innings. The Trojans scored nine runs in the fifth inning, with all nine hitters in the lineup crossing the plate.
For C-G (1-6, 1-2 Fox Valley Conference), it was the first win of the season.
“We’ve got a lot of learning to do,” Olson said. “We’ve got a lot of inexperienced players. They’re learning, there’s no doubt about that.”
Shortstop Alyssa Gurgone opened the scoring with a run-scoring sacrifice fly in the first inning. She finished the game with four RBIs. The Trojans scored three in the first and three in the second to pull ahead early.
Gurgone supplied a two-run single in the second.
“We finally started stringing hits together,” Gurgone said. “We’re always saying hitting is contagious and we saw that today. It’s been a little shaky in the (early) season, but we figured it out today.”
Wieczorek went 3 for 3 with a walk, three runs and three RBIs. The freshman was hitting in the cleanup spot.
First baseman Kelly Johnson went 3 for 3 with a double and three RBIs. No. 9 hitter Victoria Beatty doubled home two runs in the fifth. She also scored two runs.
“It feels really good to come back from a few losses and get a good win,” Wieczorek said.
C-G sophomore Emma Hill pitched all five innings and allowed nine hits and four earned runs.
Central (2-5, 0-2 FVC) scored one run in the first and three in the second to pull within 6-4, before the Trojans broke it open. Starting pitcher Morgann Paaske allowed eight runs, six earned in four innings of work.
At the plate, Jenna Ward went 2 for 3 with two doubles and two runs scored. Clare Urbanski, hitting one spot behind Ward in the lineup, knocked her in both times. Urbanski went 2 for 3 with two doubles and two RBIs.
Paaske went 1 for 1 with a double, scoring a run and driving another run across. She also walked twice.
“It was a tough one,” coach Brian Strombom said. “We’re trying to find our way and we’re going against a team that looked real good.”
Central committed four errors, allowing three unearned runs to score.
“We have to do the little things to make sure those base runners don’t find their way,” Strombom said. “We’re working at it.”
UNSUNG HERO
Alyssa Gurgone
Cary-Grove, Sr., SS
Gurgone drove in four runs. She had two run-scoring sacrifice flies and a two-RBI single.
THE NUMBER
9: All nine Cary-Grove hitters in the lineup scored in the nine-run fifth inning.
AND ANOTHER THINGS …
Cary-Grove leadoff hitter Alina Krembuszewski reached base four times and scored four runs. She went 3 for 4 with a double and a walk.
Cary-Grove 17, Crystal Lake Central 4 (5 inn.)
Cary-Grove 330 29 — 17 14 1
Crystal Lake Central 130 00 — 6 9 4
WP: Emma Hill (5IP, 9H, 4R, 4ER, 3K, 3BB)
LP: Morgann Paaske (4IP, 10H, 8R, 6ER, 2BB, 1K)
Top hitters — Cary-Grove: Krembuszewski 3-4 (2B, BB, 4 runs), Gurgone 1-1 (2 runs, 4 RBI), Wieczorek 3-3 (HR, BB, 3 runs, 3 RBI), Johnson 3-3 (2B, run, 3RBI). Crystal Lake Central: Ward 2-3 (2 2B, 2 runs), Urbanski 2-3 (2 2B, 2 RBI), Kessler 2-2 (BB, run).