Softball: McKenzie Oslanzi, Maura Condon power Ottawa over Kaneland

MAPLE PARK – Ottawa coach Adam Lewis shared his feelings on senior McKenzie Oslanzi following his team’s 4-1 Interstate 8 Conference victory over Kaneland on Wednesday.

“She’s definitely one of the best all-around players in the state,” Lewis said. “She’s a serious two-way threat.”

Need evidence? Look no further than the Eastern Illinois recruit’s past two games.

In a nine-inning victory over Morris on Tuesday, Oslanzi struck out 20. Against Kaneland, Oslanzi smashed a pair of no-doubt home runs – a two-run shot and a solo – to lead the Pirates with three RBIs.

“I usually just work hard every day at practice,” Oslanzi said.

“From a hitting perspective, her barrel is in the zone a really long time,” Lewis said. “Kids that spin up, she can stay on top of it and drive it. Kids that spin down, she can go under and work up and still drive it, so from a hitting perspective, she’s a really, really difficult out because her barrel is in the zone for so long. She’s just so strong.”

The strength, then, translates to her pitches.

“She throws very hard; has good down and up movements,” Lewis said. “And, a pretty effective changeup.”

Ottawa (15-5, 9-1) added to its 3-0 lead in the fourth inning after Ryleigh Stehl was able to motor home safely on a passed ball from third with two outs. Kaneland freshman pitcher Brynn Woods rebounded with a strikeout to end the threat.

Pirates sophomore pitcher Maura Condon was effective in limiting Kaneland to one run in her complete-game effort.

Knights senior Kailey Plank reached on a fielder’s choice, and Woods followed with a single. Angelina Campise then reached on an error to allow Plank to head safely home for the 4-1 Ottawa lead. Condon then forced a lineout and groundout to end the threat.

Kaneland (5-10, 2-4) appeared to have a fruitful chance in the fifth with the bases loaded, but Condon (four strikeouts) induced a groundout back to her to spoil the Knights’ best scoring chance.

“She’s a great pitcher all around,” Oslanzi said of Condon. “We keep each other up and she hits her spots well, has good spin, [she’s], overall, really good.”

“Kaneland’s got a really good lineup,” Lewis said. “I probably was the most pleased with Maura today – as great as it was to see Kenzie just blast two balls into the woods – Maura, really, she locked in and competed every single at-bat. Every single pitch, most of the pitches that she threw for balls, that’s [overall location] what we were looking for. She didn’t miss many spots all day. She was extremely good.”

Woods, in her complete game, had seven strikeouts.

“We’re still jelling as a team. We’re still figuring out our pitch calls; what works for everybody, what doesn’t, what feels good each day. [Oslanzi] is a great player ... whatever we threw her, I mean, inside, high, outside, she was jacking them,” Kaneland coach Madison Mikos said. “Brynn hung in there. That’s all you can do with great batters like that. She threw great today.”

https://www.shawlocal.com/kane-county-chronicle/2023/04/27/softball-mckenzie-oslanzi-maura-condon-power-ottawa-over-kaneland/