Benet puts Richards’ season to an end

Updated: June 6, 2011 8:37PM

Benet provided a changeup to defeat one of the best changeup pitchers in the area.

The Redwings got offense from the bottom of its order to defeat Richards 4-1 In the Class 4A Hinsdale South Supersectional. Benet will move on to the state semifinals in East Peoria and will play the winner of the Sandburg and Moline game at 4:30 on Friday.

``[Brianna LeBeau] threw a lot of changeups,’’ Benet’s Marissa Panko said. ``I was just sitting back on it knowing that I would get at least one every at bat.’’

Panko had the first two RBI of the game for Benet and her one-out double in the sixth brought home the go-ahead run in the form of her sister Mikayla Panko. The Redwings (30-10) had advanced through the sectional contests on the strength of the top of the order. The Panko sisters and Ali Michalik accounted for the seventh, eighth and ninth spots in the order.

``We’ve been balanced all season long,’’ Benet coach Jerry Schilf said. ``The top has been doing it lately but for Marissa to do it twice in the same game is huge.’’

Michalik followed Panko’s double with an RBI single. Leadoff hitter Meave McGuire followed with an RBI double to join the hitting party. The Redwings had been kept off-balance by LeBeau’s changeup for most of the game but realized that the junior hurler was starting every hitter with the off-speed pitch.

``I was getting a little frustrated myself. I was yelling at them to hit the first pitch changeup,’’ Schilf said. ``Give LeBeau credit. She kept throwing it and getting us out.’’

LeBeau (25-3) and Allyson Staats (28-9) battled it out to a draw through five innings. Benet drew first blood in the fourth on an RBI single hit back through the middle by Marissa Panko. The two out base hit brought Julianne Rurka home for a 1-0 lead.

Richards (32-3) tied the game in the top of the sixth on an RBI single from Danielle Kappel that brought Hannah Jenkins home. The Bulldogs had eight hits on the game but Staats stranded seven runners while striking out six.

``They came through with key hits at key times,’’ Richards coach Julie Folliard said.``We didn’t. We just couldn’t crack it open.’’

McGuire had a pair of doubles and a walk. Marissa Panko was 2-for-3. LeBeau hit a pair of hits to lead the Bulldogs.

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