Jozsa Christiansen toughens up, leads Marengo past Antioch

MARENGO – Back-to-back walks to start the top of the first inning from Jozsa Christiansen brought out Marengo coach Dwain Nance and a challenge.

“He came out and looked at me like, ‘Do you want to be out here right now?‘” said Christiansen, a senior. “He just kind of gave me that shove like, ‘You have to stay confident about it.’ I was a little nervous coming out, so I had to get myself back into it.”

The start wasn’t ideal, but the response – and finish – was admirable.

Christiansen worked around the pair of walks with a pop-up to third base and then two strikeouts – one swinging, one looking – to keep Antioch, last spring’s Class 3A state runner-up, off the scoreboard.

The Indians scored three runs in the bottom half, and Christiansen and a stellar defense held the Sequoits at bay in a 12-2, six-inning victory Monday.

Christiansen worked around traffic throughout the win, scattering four hits and walking five. But she was able to hold off Antioch (0-3) with six strikeouts. Only one of the two runs she allowed was earned.

Nance was happy to see Christiansen continue on and not only finish the inning but the game.

“She’s a competitor,” Nance said of Christiansen, who stranded eight base runners. “She got herself out of a huge jam against a pretty good part of their lineup. I thought we played pretty good defense throughout the night. We don’t strike out a ton of people, so we have to rely on defense. Our outfield played really well with a lot of great catches out there.”

Christiansen pitched behind Lilly Kunzer in past seasons but will be taking on a larger role in the circle this year, along with junior Ellie White. Kunzer was a bigger strikeout pitcher and also was strong with the bat.

Christiansen is no slouch with the bat, either. Last year she hit .413 with one homer. She matched that number with her first home run of the season Monday, smacking a solo shot to right-center field in the fourth inning to give her team a 7-1 lead.

“Lilly’s such a strong pitcher that I looked up to, and me and her worked together a lot,” Christiansen said. “I wanted to just come in with more confidence. When you lose your No. 1 pitcher, you have to show your defense that you can do it and you’re capable.

“They all believe in me so much, and I have Ellie behind me, too. She’s been working real hard in practice and everything. I feel really good about it.”

Marengo (4-4) scored in every inning, including three in the first without the benefit of a hit. Antioch made a fielding error on a throw to home plate that allowed Kylee Jensen (2 for 4, three stolen bases) to score the first run. The final two runs of the first came on the same wild pitch.

Second baseman Gabby Gieseke finished 2 for 3 with an RBI double, two runs scored and two steals, while White came within a few feet from a two-homer game but had to settle for two doubles that hit near the bottom of the fence. Ari Rodriguez was 2 for 3 with a double and Gabby Christopher scored twice.

No. 9 hitter Gianna Iovinelli ended the game with a two-run double in the sixth inning.

White is starting at third base this season after her sister Emily occupied the position last year before graduating.

It’s a spot she feels comfortable at.

“My sister is my role model. She started [at third] all four years,” said White, who went 2 for 2 batting eighth. “I feel like I’m just seeing the ball really well right now. I feel really confident with my swing.”

Marengo was playing its first game after a spring break trip that matched the Indians against some stiff competition, including last year’s 2A state champion in Carterville, as well as some premier teams from Kentucky.

The Indians, who returned six starters from last year’s Kishwaukee River Conference champion, feel good about their potential.

“I think we’re a strong team. We have solid defense and bats all around,” White said. “We can do really big things.”