Benet grits out victory against Metea

Updated: May 27, 2011 10:34PM

The No. 5-seeded Benet softball team did not care Metea Valley was given the 12th seed in the Oswego East Sectional. The Redwings know better than to count an opponent out just because it was ranked lower than them.

The Redwings refused to take the Mustangs lightly in their Class 4A Benet Regional semifinal matchup Friday. As a result, Benet did what it was supposed to do and topped Metea Valley 2-0 in Lisle after a two-day delay due to poor weather conditions.

“(Metea Valley) is the best 12 seed,” Benet coach Jerry Schilf said. “I’ve been concerned ever since I knew we were going to play them. But we made plays when we had to, and Allyson (Staats) pitched really tough when runners were in scoring position. That was the key.”

With the win, Benet (26-10), winners of 10 of its last 11 games, will take on No. 3 seed Plainfield Central Saturday at 11 a.m. for the regional title.

“I’m super-excited, we love playing in games like this,” Staats said. “I think we are going to go out there and play them like we did Metea and give it our all. Like coach says, every day, especially to the seniors, ‘This could be your last chance. Don’t make it your last one.’ ’’

“They may have the higher seed, but we like our chances,” Schilf added.

The Redwings scored their first run in the second, when Julianne Rurka led off with a double hit off the center field fence. She moved to third on a Shellie Schaffer ground out and scored on Mikayla Panko’s RBI single. The other run was scored in the third, when Maeve McGuire drew a walk. She stole second, advanced to third on Kendall Duffy’s ground out and reached home on an RBI groundout from Staats.

Metea Valley may have outhit the Redwings 6-5 — three of the six hits were doubles — but the Mustangs ended up leaving nine runners stranded, including a pair on first and second with no outs in the third as well as two more in the sixth abandoned on second and third with two outs.

“We couldn’t get the timely hit we needed to,” Metea Valley coach Kris Kalivas said. “When you don’t capitalize in certain situations and continue to give the momentum to an experienced senior group, it’s going to come back to get you.”

Staats improved to 24-9 after she allowed two walks and six strikeouts, including two in the crucial third inning and the game-ender.

“When she got in trouble, she made the pitches,” Schilf said.

Metea Valley, in its first varsity season, finished 16-14 overall. There were no seniors on the team, so everyone will return next year.

“I’m proud of what we did, I’m proud of what the kids did and I think they represented the program in its first year,” Kalivas said. “I think we got a lot of respect inside and outside of the (Upstate Eight) conference and we have a good starting block to build on.”

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