Bradley-Bourbonnais bats come alive in win over Herscher

BOURBONNAIS – One of the sure signs of spring break, at least when the weather cooperates, is the annual nonconference softball clash between Bradley-Bourbonnais and Herscher. The teams got together at the Boilermakers' Brickyard on Monday afternoon, where the Boilermakers' bats gave starting pitcher Abbie Hofbauer plenty of run support in her varsity debut, downing the Tigers 13-3 in five innings.

Hofbauer is one of several new faces on a Boilers team that improved to 2-0. With the graduation of four-year stalwarts Ellie Haggard (shortstop) and Libby Spaulding (pitcher/first base) among others, head coach Haylee Austell said that now that the bar has been set at six straight seasons of at least 19 wins and three straight Class 4A regional titles, they have no plans on letting that standard drop back down this spring.

“We’re here to make sure people know that the standard has been set and it’s our job to raise it,” Austell said. “These girls have done a really good job of stepping into what that looks like, not being afraid of big shoes or whatnot, but just going out and being themselves.”

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Bradley-Bourbonnais' Liv Woolman, left, fields a ground ball and looks to tag out Herscher's Abby Overacker during a game at Bradley-Bourbonnais Monday, March, 24, 2025. (Mason Schweizer)

The Tigers, who saw their three-game season-opening win streak end, were able to load the bases on Hofbauer in the top of the first on a pair of walks to RyLyn Adams and Keira Ahramovich and an error. But the sophomore right-hander bounced back with a strikeout and flyout to get out of the first unscathed.

In turn, the Boilers scored five in their half of the first, including their first two when Hofbauer and Evie Mcintyre were hit by pitches with the bases loaded, following Lydia Hammond’s HPB that loaded them. Another sophomore, right fielder Alayna Sykes, drove in a pair of runs with an opposite field single to right before McIntyre scored on a wild pitch the next at-bat.

With a five-run lead and an experienced catcher in three-year Boilers starter Suttyn Hop, Austell said Hofbauer was able to go back to the circle with confidence after that.

“We have all the confidence in the world in Abbie, and with Suttyn behind the plate we have experience there, being able to be a calming force for her,” Austell said. “Abbie’s only gonna continue to get better, so for her to get out of that, take a deep breath, and then for us to score five runs, she was able to go out in the second and play a little bit more free.”

The Tigers did get some good swings in the middle innings, scoring a pair of runs in the third on an Anistin Hackley double and an Ahramovich single, as well as an unearned run in the third, but Hofbauer finished the day allowing two earned runs on five hits in her five-inning complete game.

“When we start limiting the mistakes in the field, the defensive errors, cut that in half or limit that to zero, limit the walks and hit by pitches, we can put the ball in play,” Tigers coach Mike Cann said. “We scratched three against these guys and had some nice hits. We had a promising first inning, bases loaded with one out. We missed the squeeze, went out, out, and left three on base.”

Bradley-Bourbonnais' Suttyn Hop rounds second base and looks towards third during a home game against Herscher Monday, March 24, 2025. (Mason Schweizer)

The Boilers were able to get to Hackley, one of the area’s top returning pitchers, scoring 12 of their runs (10 earned) on the southpaw on 10 hits in 3 2/3 innings. Hop led the offense with a 3 for 3 day that included a double, a walk, four runs and an RBI.

Alongside senior second baseman Bella Pusateri and junior pitcher Lydia Hammond, Monday’s designated player, the Boilers boast a trio of players with three-plus years of starting experience and success to their names.

And now that she’s a senior, Hop said she feels like it’s her duty to step into a leadership role and show her younger teammates the confidence it requires to be successful at this level.

“I feel like I have to take a role and be a leader, set the tone for them and show them it’s OK to show out,” Hop said. “Just not to be afraid; be yourself when you’re playing. Mistakes are gonna happen, that’s just part of the game.”

Pusateri and Hammond had two hits apiece, Pusateri doubling and scoring and Hammond scoring and driving in two apiece. Eight different Boilers had a hit and eight either scored or drove in a run.

The Tigers got a two-hit day from Abby Overacker, who scored one of their three runs.