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Hart leads Griffins with another strong showing
Updated: April 29, 2011 10:48PM
The way Lincoln-Way East’s Kacyee Hart has been pitching this season, the Griffins have not needed to score many runs in support of their star pitcher.
The formula has been the same all season, score early and let Hart go to work in the circle.
Facing conference rival Lockport on Friday, the East offense scored two early runs and Hart kept up her part of the bargain.
Throwing a complete-game two-hitter with six strikeouts, Hart led the Griffins to a 6-0 SouthWest Suburban Blue win.
“Kacyee has a presence on the mound and in the box,” East coach Katie Meader said. “Give any pitcher a couple runs, and they ease up a bit. We’ve been able to do that for her all year except for the H-F game.”
Playing for the first time since losing to Homewood-Flossmoor last week, their only loss of the season, the Griffins came out reenergized and refocused according to Hart.
“After our loss, we put in a lot of work as a whole team,” Hart said. “The coaches pushed us, and we’ve pushed each other. We came out today with our normal fire.”
Jorgi Calombaris and Aubrey DeGroot scored on two different Lockport infield errors in the top of the second to stake Hart to an early lead.
After issuing a leadoff walk in the bottom of the first, the junior hurler settled in, not allowing another baserunner until the fourth.
Hart did damage from the plate too, hitting her fifth homer of the season, a two-run bomb to left field in the fourth.
“I didn’t think it was gone, but I was going up there looking for a hit to knock Jorgi in,” Hart said with a smile.
Able to pitch around two Porters reaching base in the fifth, Hart allowed just three walks to go with two hits in getting her ninth win. Lincoln-Way East improved to 12-1, 3-1.
The loss was the fourth in five games for Lockport (13-7, 2-4).
“Our bats have gone a little flat, but we’re working on it,” Lockport coach Marissa Chovanec said. “They’ve gotten inside their heads a little bit, and getting them out of their heads is half the battle.”
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