Sports
GHS Softball Scuffles, Still Comes Out Ahead
Varsity squad has win streak snapped but takes three of five for the week.
Starting the week with your first loss in seven games is certainly not fun, as Geneva varsity softball discovered last week. They were feeling pretty good at week’s end, though, after winning three of five contests.
On Tuesday, Geneva was clinging to a 3-2 lead over St. Charles East heading into the bottom of the seventh inning. The Vikings had moved ahead with a pair of runs in the fifth, including a steal of home plate by Bridget Weitzel. But the Saints were able to string several hits together off Vikings ace Kelly McCaffrey and came away with the 4-3 win on an RBI single by junior Allie Hall. It was the fifth straight victory for St. Charles East.
The Vikings were able to recover Thursday against Streamwood, using a five-run burst to put the game away and win 6-3. Elena Wright hit one out of the park for Geneva and collected three RBIs for the day. Wright, Weitzel, Kirsten Searcy and Sarah Laster each had a pair of hits for the Vikings.
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Friday got off to a bad start as visiting Burlington Central tagged McCaffrey for four runs in the top of the first. Things didn’t stay that way long; Geneva poured on the offense in the second and third innings to score 11 unanswered runs. Julie Orwig homered and drove in four runs; Elena Wright added four RBIs of her own and Dori Rogers had a 3-for-4 day at the plate. The Rockets managed just three hits all day.
A Saturday doubleheader against Rosary finished the week, and the results were mixed. In game one, Geneva was up 5-0 entering the sixth but the Royals erased the deficit with a five-spot and then plated the game-winner in the seventh for a 6-5 victory. Kelly McCaffrey took the loss despite the Vikings outhitting Rosary 8-6.
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Game two turned out better, as the Vikings prevailed 6-2. The two teams each notched a run in the first inning. From there, Geneva starter Julie Orwig surrendered only one more run and scattered eight hits in total for the victory. Rogers and fellow senior Melissa Barber each recorded a double for the Vikings, who improved to 22-8 overall and 12-4 against the Upstate Eight River division.
They sit at No. 14 in the Daily Herald’s latest Top 20 poll, released Monday.