Andrew’s Hofer gets in a groove

Updated: May 16, 2011 7:40PM

With a 15-5 record and a 2.74 ERA, Andrew’s Brooke Hofer was hardly a “soph” touch for hitters in 2010.

As a junior, though, she’s gradually pitching her way into the circle of the Southland’s elite hurlers.

Hofer had a week to remember in helping Andrew take control of the SouthWest Suburban Red, tossing a no-hitter, two two-hitters and a four-hitter in victories over Stagg, Bradley, Lincoln-Way North and Reavis.

The Thunderbolts are 21-8 overall and 10-1 in conference play.

On April 11, Hofer stood with a 1-5 record and a 4.24 ERA. Since then she’s gone 13-3 and lowered her ERA to 2.13.

“I think she’s just learning more about herself and what she can do,” Andrew coach Jim Holba said. “And working with a different catcher (junior Gabby D’Oronzo), it’s been trial and error and they’ve developed a real chemistry.”

Chemistry to the point where Holba lets them call their own game.

“Yeah,” Holba said, “At first I did it (called pitches), but as they got to know each other they really learned how to work with each other.”

In the first meeting vs. Stagg on April 20, Hofer saw a 4-0 lead slip away before blanking the Chargers over the final four innings. Andrew won in the ninth when Kelly Christner tripled and scored on a wild pitch.

In the May 9 rematch, Hofer shut Stagg down, allowing just two hits and striking out four in a 2-0 victory.

It was a pattern that would continue throughout the week.

Wednesday, she no-hit Bradley — which five days earlier had 10 against Stagg — in a 10-0 victory, allowed four hits Friday in a 7-3 win over Lincoln-Way North and was masterful Saturday with a two-hitter in an 8-0 win over Reavis.

The difference?

“I asked her about that and she said she feels more in command of her screwball,” Holba said. “She also said that with the warmer weather she felt looser, faster.”

Oak Forest
getting a taste

Oak Forest hasn’t been lacking big-school competition this season, playing 13 games against Class 4A schools and winning 11.

But on May 9 the Bengals got some experience against one of the Class 3A contenders they might see down the road in the state playoffs, beating visiting Marengo 1-0.

The Indians (22-7) are one of four No. 1 seeds in the Grayslake Central Sectional, which feeds into the DeKalb Supersectional. If Oak Forest and Marengo meet again, it would be in the Class 3A state title game.

“They went to state the year before we won state (in 2009),” Oak Forest coach Paige Stryczek said. “They’re very well coached (by Dwain Nance).

“We haven’t played that dominant of a Class 3A team yet besides Metamora on April 1 — which was a long time ago.

“So I think being able to play a top-notch 3A program and for (Emily) Norton to shut them out was huge.”

The Bengals scored the winning run in the bottom of the seventh on a bases-loaded sacrifice fly by Emily Naegele. It was the first time this season the Bengals won in a walk-off.

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