December 27, 2024
Sports

Softball: Previewing Lyons, Nazareth, Morton, Riverside-Brookfield and Fenwick

By Joshua Welge

Nazareth Academy's Emily Zalewski (left) goes for a double play after Montini's Amy Bukovsky is out at second during the Roadrunners' Class 3A supersectional softball win over Montini at The Ball Park in Rosemont June 5. (Sandy Bressner)

The prep softball begins this week, as teams begin their quest toward the state finals in East Peoria. Here is a preview of area teams:

FENWICK FRIARS

Coach: Mike Marrese

2017 record: 18-13-1

Top Players

Name Year Pos.

Kayley Sherwood, sr., C

Cassandra Lee, jr., P/CF

Alyssa Stramaglia jr. P/1B/OF

Rachel Martinez jr. 3B/OF

Elena Vaccaro so. so. SS

Ciara Herbert so. IF/OF

Tess LoGuidice so. OF/C

Ava Vaccaro so. 2B/OF

Andrea Fuentes so. P/IF/OF

Outlook: The Friars won a regional title last year, and with returning pitchers Lee and Stramaglia should be in every game. Martinez, an Eastern Michigan recruit, and Sherwood return to anchor the lineup.

"Our starting lineup will consist of sophomores, juniors and seniors," Marrese said. "Defensively we will be very good and our batting order will have no easy outs."

LYONS TOWNSHIP LIONS

Coach: Nikki Marinec

2017 record: 20-11

Top Players

Name Year Pos.

Gabby Allen sr. OF

Dana Reynolds sr. 1B/DH/OF

Katelyn Malinowski jr. SS

Teagan Bozzi sr. P/1B

Jess Pelletiere sr. 2B

Angelina D'Amico sr. DH/3B/P

Sydney Wallace sr. OF

Katie Rohlicek jr. OF

Outlook: The Lions return seven players, six of them seniors, from the team that advanced to a sectional final in 2017. It starts with Allen, a center fielder who hit .355 from the leadoff spot and led LT in runs scored. Reynolds is a three-sport athlete who hit .354 and had the game-winning RBI in the Lions' regional final win. Bozzi split time on the mound as a junior, and also led LT in walks while hitting .322. Pelletiere and D'Amico each saw time hitting third last season. Wallace is a key outfield defender who covers a lot of ground with Allen.

"We would like to compete to battle for first in conference, along with Downers Grove North and Oak Park-River Forest, the usual contenders," Marinec said.

MORTON MUSTANGS

Coach: Anthony Blood

2017 record: 10-18

Top Players

Name Year Pos.

Katlyn LasCola jr. P

Brianna Salinas sr. 3B

Melly Gonzalez jr. 1B

Carina Cardenas sr. CF

Alexis Mondonaldo so. P/1B

Mina Salazar so. SS

Ali Santos jr. P

Outlook: The Mustangs' 10 wins last spring doubled their total from 2016 – and with six returning starters optimism is understandably high.

Gonzalez, Salinas, LasCola, Cardenas, Mondonaldo and Salazar all are back from the team that lost in the second round of regionals to Mother McAuley.

The lineup will still be very young, with four sophomore starters. Blood is excited about the additions of sophomores Paulina Viveros and Arleth Cruz at catcher and second, respectively. The Mustangs also should get strong outfield play from seniors Miriah Sierra, Aliyah Quintero and Carina Cardenas and Santos, a junior.

"Despite being so young and being in such a tough conference, we hope to compete," Blood said.

NAZARETH ROADRUNNERS

Coach: Emily Matthews

2017 record: 31-8-1

Top players

Name Year Pos.

Jordan Barnes jr. C/IF

Jeannine Mantooth jr. SS

Leah Cavanaugh so. OF

Julia Dallmann sr. OF

Emily Zalewski sr. IF

Emily Monahan fr. IF/OF

Ally Layne fr. P

Toni Rodriguez fr. IF/P

Outlook: The Roadrunners graduated five senior all-conference players off the team that took fourth in Class 3A, so they'll be young but talented. As many as seven underclassmen could start.

Third-year starter Jordan Barnes, who hit .409 with 11 doubles and 36 RBIs last year, has huge power and a big arm behind the plate. Jeannine Mantooth is one of the area's better shortstops, with gap-to-gap power. Leah Cavanaugh came on late in the season and is a dangerous leadoff hitter with speed. Julia Dallman is a three-year starter with power and a strong arm, and Emily Zalewski – who like Dallman hit .336 last year is another with gap-to-gap power.

"Team speed and defense up the middle will be the key," Matthews said. "The Roadrunners need big contributions from underclassmen to reach the programs' lofty goals of winning conference and returning to state.

RIVERSIDE-BROOKFIELD BULLDOGS

Coach: Doug Schultz

2017 record: 26-10

Top Players

Name Year Pos.

Nora Dachota sr. P

Tori Blood sr. P

Amy Kulaga sr. OF

Kailyn Ngo jr. OF

Nadia Ranieri so. OF

Lauren Lambros jr. IF

Payton Rangel jr. IF

Outlook: The Bulldogs won a Class 4A regional title last spring – and are ready to build on that with all of their pitching returning. Dachota and Blood will once again be on the mound and lead seven returning starters. Added to the returners are sophomores Abby Favela, an infielder, and Emily Noel, a catcher. The Bulldogs beefed up their nonconference schedule with Sandburg, Hinsdale South and Hinsdale Central.

"The outlook for the season looks well," Schultz said.