Alcaraz, Marist prevail in extra innings

Updated: March 30, 2011 3:06PM

Rikki Alcaraz anticipated beautifully.

After striking out twice and struggling against West Chicago star pitcher Mary Connolly, the senior Marist shortstop drilled an offspeed pitch into right field for the go-ahead RBI triple as the No. 3 Redhawks rallied for the 5-3 victory in nine innings Tuesday at Pioneer Park in West Chicago.

"I knew I just had to do something up there, and I had to hit the ball," the LSU-bound Alcaraz said. "She was doing a good job of mixing her pitches and changing speeds. She came inside and I was able to get good contact."

Alcaraz scored on an insurance run moments later on Megan Gustafson's line single into left field. She also made a spectacular play in the field, snaring an over-the-shoulder catch in shallow left field.

Sophomore Brooke Wyderski also drove in two runs for the Redhawks (2-4). Down to her last strike, Wyderski slammed a Connolly fastball into right-center for a ground-rule double that scored Alcaraz in the top of the seventh, forcing the extra innings.Alcaraz reached base after being hit by a pitch.

The comeback victory helped Marist overcome a slow start to the season. The RedHawks dropped three out of four games at a spring break tournament in Miami last week.

Senior Stephanie Gierman (1-1) threw a complete game, striking out three and scattering seven hits.

Junior Rachel Johnson drove in all three runs for the Wildcats (0-1). Her infield hit and RBI put the Wildcats up 3-2 in the bottom of the fifth.

Gierman ended the game by making a great stab off a sharp comeback to the mound after West Chicago put runners on first and second with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. "I just got more comfortable as the game went on and I understood better the umpire's strike zone," she said.

Connolly struck out 11 in defeat. "It was a typical high school softball game in that the difference was the little things," West Chicago coach Kim Walton said. "They did a few more things than we did, like extending Mary on the pitch counts and making a few more plays than we did."

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