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Saints pound Royals in conference play
Updated: May 4, 2011 11:58PM
The St. Charles East and Larkin softball game started out with all the makings of a good old-fashioned slugfest on Wednesday afternoon, but after taking a 5-2 lead in the first inning, the Saints were the only one’s that continued the slugging.
St. Charles East pounded out 13 hits in a 14-2 five-inning slaughter-rule victory in Upstate Eight Conference River Division action. The Saints have now scored 40 runs in their last three games. Casey Basic had a huge day at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a home run and six RBI.
“The key has been hitting the ball on hitters’ counts,” said East coach Kelly Horan. “We have really focused on being patient at the plate and working the count in our favor and that is giving us good pitches to hit, I think. We have really stepped up our game lately and this is the time of the year to do it. The time for just participating is over. Now it’s about playing to compete and win games.”
The Saints (10-12, 6-6) came off the bus swinging. Ally Schweizer and Lindsay Vellega highlighted the five-run first inning with back-to-back two-run doubles off Larkin starter Kiernan Schock (5-7).
The Royals (8-17, 1-8) answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning with a leadoff opposite-field homer over the left field fence by Alex Buhrow. Schock followed with a single and later scored on a fielder’s choice.
However, it was all Saints after that point. The Royals strategy was to pitch around Rae Anne Payleitner, who has nine home runs this season. Payleitner was walked three times in the game, but each time Basic took advantage. In the second, the junior hit a two-run homer after a two-out walk to Payleitner. Basic also had two run singles in the fourth and fifth innings.
“That’s exactly what we need Casey to do,” said Horan. “If teams are not going to give Rae Anne a chance to hit, Casey needs to make them pay and today she did just that.”
The Saints led 9-2 heading into the top of the fifth inning when they exploded for five more runs. In addition to Basic’s two-run single, Sarah Colletti came off the bench to add an RBI single. Two other runs scored via errors.
“I was really with happy with way we sustained our offensive attack all game,” said Horan. “Plus, we got some good pitching and defense to go with it.”
Freshman Haley Beno (2-0) went the distance for the win to improve to 2-0. She scattered six hits while striking six and walking none.
Larkin left five runners stranded.
“I have to compliment our girls,” said Larkin coach Larry Hight. “They played hard. The girls that were out came ready to play and did every thing they could, but today their bats were just too much for us. They are a good hitting team. We didn’t want the one girl (Payleitner) to beat us, but they have some other girls who can do some damage.”
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