Big day by Mylie Hughes leads Morris softball past Plainfield Central in season opener

MORRIS – On a very windy day that made it seem like no lead would be safe, Morris pitcher Mylie Hughes made sure the lead her team got her Monday held up in a 15-0 season-opening win over Plainfield Central.

First, Hughes pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the first to keep the Wildcats off the board. Then, in the bottom half of the inning, she gave herself all the runs she needed by launching a three-run homer that cleared the scoreboard in left field. Morris (1-0) added another run in the bottom of the first before erupting for nine in the bottom of the second.

“Having a lead like I did makes it easier to just go out and throw strikes,” Hughes said. “I really trust my defense, too. No matter where the ball is hit, we have players that will make the play.

“We couldn’t ask for a better way to start. This should be a great way to build our confidence.”

Hughes got into a jam in the top of the first, allowing a double to Emma Sommerfeld to lead off the game. A throwing error moved Sommerfeld to third before Hughes struck out Evalyn Prochaska and walked Maeve Carlton to put runners on first and third. Carlton stole second, but Hughes struck out Ava Sommerfeld before walking Sophia Patterson to load the bases. Hughes caught Ava Zitello looking to end the threat.

With one out in the bottom of the first, Karson Dransfeldt (3 for 3, triple, 2 RBIs, 2 stolen bases) reached on a bunt single. She stole second as Halie Olson walked, then stole third before Hughes slugged her three-run homer. An out later, Addie Hackett doubled off the left-field fence and courtesy runner Tessa Cryder scored on a Wildcat error to make it 4-0.

Central got a runner in scoring position again in the second. After Hughes struck out the first two batters of the inning, Melody Mojica walked, then stole second. She was tagged out, however, on a grounder to short by Emma Sommerfeld to end the inning. Hughes worked three innings, allowing two hits and striking out seven. Cryder threw an inning, fanning one and walking three.

Morris exploded in the second, scoring nine runs before the inning was over. Tessa Shannon led off with an infield single, then scored on a double to left by Cami Pfeifer. Dransfeldt followed with a triple to left-center, scoring Pfeifer. Olson reached on an error that allowed Dransfeldt to score for a 7-0 lead before Hughes singled to left. An error on a ball hit by Alyssa Jepson scored Olson. The Wildcats turned a double play on a grounder to third by Hackett before walks to Devin Shenberg and Macie Ferguson loaded the bases. A wild pitch chased home Jepson and a walk by Shannon reloaded them. Pfeifer walked to bring a run home before Dransfeldt reached on an infield single to score Ferguson. A throwing error on the play allowed Shannon to score, and Morris capped the inning’s scoring when a wild pitch plated Pfeifer.

“We swung some hot bats early,” Morris coach Jen Bamonte said. “That was nice to see on a crisp day like this. Mylie did a good job of working out of a jam in the first inning. That shows her experience and getting out of that inning without giving up a run was huge. Then, she hit one almost to Shabbona School. The wind didn’t need to help that one.

“We are at our best when the top three in our order - Cami Pfeifer, Karson Dransfeldt and Halie Olson - are getting on base and creating havoc on the bases like they did today. Our defense played well today, too. For a first game, I am very happy.”

Neither team scored in the third and Morris ended it in the fifth on a two-run single by Pfeifer (2 for 3, double, 4 RBIs), scoring both Ella Urbasek and Anna Carrero, who had walked.

“We got some people into scoring position, but we couldn’t push them home,” Plainfield Central coach Kate Welsh said. “We needed to put the ball in play a little better.

“But, we had some good moments. We turned a nice double play on defense, and Emma Sommerfeld came in to pitch for the first time in relief and did a pretty good job. She got us going with her leadoff double as well. We just weren’t able to get her around.”