Softball: Providence Catholic powers past Joliet Catholic

NEW LENOX – The hits came early and often for the Providence Catholic softball team Monday night in a 16-6 victory over Joliet Catholic Academy. The Celtics (20-8) picked up their 20th win of the season, scoring six runs in the bottom of the first inning to take command from the start.

Every player in the Providence starting lineup had at least one hit and scored at least one run. The biggest damage came from Gianna Russo, who was 3 for 4 with a double, a home run and four RBIs. No. 9 hitter Keara Maloney was 3 for 4 with a triple and three RBIs, Kailynn Kundrat was 2 for 3 with a double and three RBIs and Kailee O’Sullivan was 1 for 3 with a two-run homer.

“I got some pitches I liked today,” Russo said. “It’s kind of weird, because their pitcher [Sophia Stirbis] is on my travel team in the summer. I play behind her all the time, but I don’t get to hit against her very much.

“Our whole team was connecting with hits today, and we did a good job on our first-and-third situations.”

JCA (11-11) threatened in the top of the first. Wrigley Fanter led off with a single and went to second on a grounder to first by Madison Patrick. Alina Schlageter (2 for 4, 2 RBIs) followed with a single to center, but Fanter held at third, with Schlageter taking second on the throw to the plate. Providence pitcher Abby Johnson, however, induced a soft liner back to her, and struck out the final JCA batter of the inning to leave the runners stranded.

“Abby threw the ball well,” Providence coach Jim Holba said. “To get out of that first inning without a run scoring was big.”

The Celtics siezed the momentum and built on it. With one out in the bottom of the first, Grace Golebiowski singled to right and scored on a ringing double off the right-field fence by Russo. Johnson followed with a double to center to score Russo. An out later, Kundrat singled through the middle to plate Johnson. Singles by Annika Hannigan and Kelly Rourke loaded the bases, and Maloney tripled to center to clear the bases.

“I just try to hit line drives. I don’t usually do that,” Maloney said about her deep triple. “It felt good to do it with the bases loaded.

“Everyone was hitting today. It gets contagious, and no one wants to be the one to make the last out in an inning.”

JCA answered with four runs in the second. With runners on first and third with one out, Wrigley Fanter reached on an error, scoring Phoenix Fanter. A single to center by Patrick scored Camryn Kinsella (2 for 3), and a single through the middle by Schalgeter brought home both Wrigley Fanter and Patrick.

With two outs in the bottom of the second, Kundrat doubled to right center to score both Golebiowski, who reached on an error, and Johnson, who was hit by a pitch, for an 8-3 Celtic lead.

After holding JCA scoreless in the top of the third, Providence showed off its power.

Singles by Rourke, Maloney and Nicole Magdziaz loaded the bases to start the inning. An infield fly popup by Golebiowski was dropped and Rourke came home. Russo then launched a three-run homer into the tree beyond the left field fence. Johnson reached on an error before O’Sullivan deposited a home run in about the same place as Russo’s for a 14-4 lead.

“Me and Kailee [O’Sullivan] have kind of a competition for the team lead in home runs,” Russo said. “It seems like every time I hit one, she hits one. That was my seventh and her sixth. It’s a nice competition to have.”

JCA added a run in the top of the fourth when Schlageter hit an RBI grounder to score Kinsella, who led off the inning with a single. The Angels made it 14-6 in the top of the fifth when Morgan Bruno doubled, and courtesy runner Jordan Reeves scored from second on a wild pitch.

“That was some heads-up running by Reeves,” JCA coach Tina Kinsella said. “There wasn’t much we could do today with the way Providence swung the bat.

“What we take from this is that we hope to see them again next week in the regional. We put the ball in play and didn’t strike out very often, so we know we can hang with them.”

Providence ended it in the bottom of the sixth. With runners on first and third, the Celtics pulled off a double steal, with courtesy runner Genevieve Peterson scoring and Magdziaz stealing second. Golebiowski followed with a single to score Magdziaz.

“We took advantage of some timely hitting,” Holba said. “We have been doing a good job of hitting with runners in scoring position all year. And our lineup is pretty consistent 1-9. That’s how you get to 20 wins.

“And it was nice to see the tree in left get a lot of attention.”