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WOODSTOCK – Crystal Lake South sophomore shortstop Brooke Kuffel was a little angry after hitting a slow ground ball to the pitcher with the bases loaded in the top of the third inning Monday.
When it was her turn to bat again in the top of the fifth with runners on first and second, Kuffel didn't miss. After taking the first pitch for a strike, the Loyola commit turned on the next pitch from Marian Central's Faith Parchutz and hit it far over the left-field fence.
The no-doubt home run gave Kuffel a six-RBI game as South pounded out a season-high 20 hits and beat Marian Central, 17-1, in five innings at Bates Park. Kuffel was one of seven Gators to finish with multiple hits.
Through three games, South (3-0) has piled up 38 runs on 51 hits. Kuffel (2 for 4) swatted a two-run double in the first inning, her second at-bat of the inning, and drove in a run on a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch in the second.
"I was a little mad about my at-bat before," Kuffel said. "I got a little bit ahead of myself, hitting it back to the pitcher. I went up thinking a single would be good, just to get on base. But she gave me a good pitch.
"It's nice to score lots of runs for our pitchers. Even a walk can spiral into a big inning for us."
Kuffel's homer was one of six extra-base hits by the Gators. Senior pitcher Christina Toniolo started the scoring with a two-run home run in the first, taking the ball the other way on a line drive over the right-field fence. The next seven batters reached base for South. Maddie Bush, Kyra Swartz and Kuffel all had RBIs in a seven-run first, all with two outs.
South added six runs on four hits in the second inning against Marian Central pitcher Jamie Gatz. Alexis Pupillo and Emily Sulikowski each drove in two, and Kuffel and Evelyn Smith drove in one.
Senior second baseman Maddie Bush was 4 for 4 with two runs scored and an RBI, Pupillo was 3 for 5 with two RBIs, Smith was 3 for 3 with three runs scored and an RBI, and Swartz, the No. 9 hitter, was 2 for 4 with three runs scored and three RBIs. Baylee Kassel added two doubles.
Bush said she had a simple approach on a cold day.
"I was just trying to stay loose, just see it and hit it," Bush said. "Don’t think about too much, because that’s when things can go bad. Once the top of the order started going, everyone else got comfortable and started going."
Toniolo tossed two innings in the victory, allowing a run on three hits. Kaeti Miller drove in Marian's only run in the second. Alyssa Niketopoulos pitched the final three innings for South, giving up two hits. Toniolo and Niketopoulos had two strikeouts apiece.
"They're just a really good hitting team," Hurricanes coach Kurt Farnam said. "They don't have many holes in their lineup. They kept the train moving, found a bunch of holes, and we didn't."
South coach Scott Busam was surprised by the offensive outburst after playing their first game since March 21.
"I was really impressed with our energy," Busam said. "One of the strengths of our team is that we’re a patient bunch. We have a lot of experience. A lot of these girls have been with us, so they know what kind of approach we like to have. We try to eliminate one, two, three pitch at-bats and really make pitchers earn it. Our patience really paid off early today."
STAR OF THE GAME
Brooke Kuffel
Crystal Lake South, so., SS
Kuffel drove in six runs batting leadoff, going 2 for 4 with a two-run double and a three-run home run. She also was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded for her sixth RBI.
THE NUMBER
20: Hits for Crystal Lake South
AND ANOTHER THING …
The Gators scored seven first-inning runs, all with two outs. Christina Toniolo hit a two-run homer to start the scoring.
Crystal Lake South 17, Marian Central 1 (5 inn.)
Crystal Lake South 760 04 – 17 19 0
Marian Central 010 00 – 1 5 1
WP: Toniolo (2IP, 3H, 1R, 0ER, 1BB, 1K). LP: Gatz (2.2IP, 13H, 13R, 12ER, 4BB, 2K).
Top hitters–Crystal Lake South: Kuffel 2-4 (HR, 2B, 6RBI, 2R), Pupillo 3-5 (2RBI, R), Sulikowski 2-5 (2RBI, R), Kassel 2-3 (2 2B, R), Toniolo 1-1 (HR, 2RBI, 2R), Bush 3-4 (RBI, 2R), Smith 3-3 (3R, RBI), Swartz 2-4 (3R, 3RBI), Niketopoulos 1-2 (2B). Marian Central: Ma. Finnegan 1-3 (3B), Bokowy 2-2, Miller 1-2 (RBI), Golembiewski 1-3 (SB).