Are you ready for some softball? It’s a beautiful and windy day as the number two seed Saint Ignatius takes on #1 seed Benet Academy for the Glenbard South softball sectional championship. Saint Ignatius won the sectional in 2021while the Redwings are looking for their first sectional crown since 2011. This highlight is sponsored by BMO Harris Bank.
1st Inning
Bottom of the first, and right out of the gate, Benet’s Grace Fajardo drives it to center field with the leadoff single. And you can see the excitement, however she is left stranded.
2nd Inning
St Ignatius is ready to respond, Payton Goodwin gets the successful bunt. A good scoop from Elayna Brdecka at third but the throw is too high for Gianna Horejs covering at 1st base. Game is still scoreless at the moment with runners on 1st and 3rd.
Still top 2nd and the Wolfpack are ready to get on the board. Abby Lee with the single to right field for 2 RBIs, bringing Lizzy Nejman and Payton Goodwin home. St. Ignatius softball leads 2-0 after the second.
5th Inning
Both pitchers throwing well in the middle innings so we head to the 5th. St Ignatius’ Sophia Fredericks with another bunt, Benet’s Bridget Chapman with great hustle to get to the ball, but the throw is not in time as Fredericks is ruled safe.
Still top 5, Wolfpack looking to pump some more offense into this game. Leave it to Caroline Leavy who bloops in a hit to left field. Abby Lee and Sophia Fredericks come around to score, Ignatius up 4-0 now.
Still in fifth, Lizzy Nejman doubles to move Leavy to third, and now Ellie Giles does the same. 2 RBI on this hit to the wall in right, bringing in Caroline Leavy and Nejman to score, Wolfpack up 6-0.
To the bottom of the 5th, Benet’s Bridget Chapman pops one to center field as St. Ignatius’ Caroline Leavy can’t get the glove on it as the sun beats down. Benet with a runner in scoring position.
Redwing Grace Fajardo won’t leave Chapman stranded, as she belts it to the same spot in center field, and gets the first RBI for the Redwings and some applause as Chapman scores. Benet on the board, 6-1 now.
Nina Pesare is looking to continue Benet’s hot hitting in bottom of the fifth. Her double will bring Grace Fajardo home from second base. Benet getting the bats cooking.
Two outs in the 5th, Benet’s Taylor Sconza grounds out to first as Sophia Fredericks makes the throw to Sam Steinhofer to end the inning. But wait, after a discussion with the home plate umpire, it is decided that Sconza was safe at first as Steinhofer’s foot came off the bag. So the Redwings head back to the dugout, Pesare scores on the play and Sconza heads back to 1st, Benet now trails only 6-3! However, the Wolfpack is able to get out of the inning with no further damage.
7th Inning
After a scoreless 6th inning, we dive into the 7th. After a Caroline Leavy single and Lizzy Nejman reaches via error, Ellie Giles powers a ball to left field for the double, and Caroline Leavy will score on the hit. And Ellie is all smiles. Wolfpack now up 7-3.
And the hits just keep on coming! After a Grace Van Pelt rbi single, Sophia Fredericks’ slow grounder will get her on base and Lauren Walton touches home plate in time before the throw can reach Anna Bastuga. Wolfpack leads by 7, up 10-3.
Caroline Leavy continues her hitting streak as she comes to the plate for a second time this inning. And she is rewarded with her second hit along with 2 more RBI. Wolfpack now up by nine.
Over to the bottom of the seventh, with two outs. St. Ignatius pitcher Ellie Giles strikes out Benet’s Nina Pesare to end the ball game St. Ignatius win the softball sectional championship for a second consecutive year with a final score of 12-3 over Benet Academy. The Redwings finish the year 21-7.
The Wolfpack advance to the Super Sectional to play St. Laurence on June 6th at Rosemont stadium!
For more prep sports highlights and post season coverage, visit the Naperville Sports Weekly page!