Softball swings into postseason mode as area teams, Neuqua Valley and Benet Academy, hit the battlegrounds for the regional semifinal. The teams met last season, where the Wildcats took the win in walk-off fashion. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
The Wildcats kickstart the second season strong with Cora Dickson getting a favorable roller into right field. Nalia Clifford scores and Neuqua takes a 1-0 lead. They get another run on a passed ball to lead 2-0.
Lanie Rosner looks to answer. She places her hit into fair territory. Rosner takes advantage of it for a two-out double.
Nalia Clifford puts the team on her back
However, if you’re in trouble, you turn to Nalia Clifford. She fields the Sofia Heggie chopper and throws to Hannah Toomey at first base to retire the side.
Clifford continues to feast as the Wisconsin commit targets dead center on the hit, and here comes a sprinting Tegan Spellerberg to the plate as the Cats open up a 3-0 lead through two innings.
The Redwings pick it up in the third as Abbie Brdecka sends a towering shot in left field that lands for a single.
Sophie Rosner is up, who nearly takes out Clifford on the hit, and with the ball getting away, Brdecka cruises to home plate to get the Wings on the board.
Bats rise from the dead for Benet
Benet turns the tide in the fourth inning, starting with a Despina Patos two-out single. Abbie Brdecka follows with a double to send Patos to third.
Ducks on the pond, so Lanie Rosner sends the ball into left field to bring both base runners. This game is deadlocked at three after the RBI double from Lanie.
Now the Wings look for the lead with Avery Burns up to bat. She gets on base with a hit to center. What looks to be runners staying in place turns into a disastrous throw from center over the catcher’s head, and Lanie Rosner catches the defense napping by coming home to give the Redwings the lead.
A two-out rally results in a lead for the Redwings
The two-out rally continues with Sophie Rosner slapping a sharp grounder, and Burns comes in to score. Benet opens up a 5-3 lead through four, erasing the early deficit.
Abby Cho is hoping to get Neuqua back in it with a fly ball, but Burns runs and dives to make the catch, sending Cho back to the dugout.
As for Benet pitcher Noel Klody, she gets a swing and miss on Sydney Benedict to retire the side. Nine punchouts in the game for the ESCC Pitcher of the Year.
Then Klody says pitchers can hit too. She chops her ball in the middle of the diamond, and she’s aboard with a single in the bottom of the fifth.
Benet Academy is moving on to the softball regional final
Despina Patos gets her second hit of the game, and it’s a big one because key insurance is added with courtesy runner Olivia Opalacz coming around to score. Klody shuts the door from there. The Redwings get it done with an 8-3 win over the Wildcats and will face the two-seed and defending state champion, Oswego, in the regional final.
For more prep sports highlights, visit the Naperville Sports Weekly page.
