First-year Bishop McNamara softball coach Jenna Arseneau came into the season knowing that her team was plenty talented – she’d already the girls at the junior varsity level – but with just two seniors on the roster, also plenty young.

When the Fightin’ Irish hosted defending Class 3A fourth-place finisher St. Laurence on Saturday, they got to see where they need to continue improving after the Vikings left town with a 16-6 win.

“They’re base for base players and that’s what you need in a team,” Arseneau said. “You don’t always need a home run, you need the small ball. They did very well with the small ball and out-hit us. We had a couple of mental mistakes and they just took advantage.”

The Vikings (6-2) out-hit the Irish (5-4) 20-11 and took advantage of three Irish errors that allowed the Vikings to score eight unearned runs. But what perhaps was most responsible for the Vikings’ victory was their knack for clutch two-out hitting, something coach Teagan Walsh said has been a common theme for them early in the season.

On Saturday, the Vikings had nine two-out hits and scored nine two-out runs, including a three-run home run from Bella Pratscher as part of a five-run third inning. That included four two-out runs after an error in the Irish outfield.

In addition to rallying around each other, Walsh said another major point of emphasis this season has been the exact two-strike, two-out hitting she saw from her team Saturday.

“Another thing we’ve worked on in practice is fouling pitches off, not being the last out, quality at-bats, which is being a hard out, being a productive out,” Walsh said. “It’s really good to see that translating to the game.”

The Irish bats flashed on Saturday too. Gabby Burnett smoked a first-inning home run that gave McNamara an initial 1-0 lead. Rhaya DePaolo continued her scorching start with a 2 for 3 day that included a double and two RBIs.

She was joined in the two-hit department by the bottom third of the Irish lineup – No. 7 hitter Camille Czako was 2 for 4 with a run, No. 8 hitter Abbie Bysor was 2 for 3 with a double and a run and No. 9 hitter Sophia Piggush had a 2 for 4 day with a two-run double and a run.

“Our athletes have such strong potential and strong bats,” Arseneau said. “Any of our girls can lay a bunt down and sprint to first base, or hit a home run or get a base hit every at-bat. They have such great confidence and they’re good for each other.”

But any time the Irish looked to threaten after the Vikings went ahead 7-1 after that five-run third, St. Laurence answered. Following Piggush’s two-run double in the third, the Vikings countered with a three-run fourth. And after a three-run sixth gave the home team a little hope and an 11-6 deficit, St. Laurence piled on five insurance runs in the top of the seventh.

After squeaking out a 2-1 win when these two nonconference foes met last spring, Wash was ecstatic to see the Vikings put this one away.

“When the other team’s creeping up and you see we have some insurance runs, it’s important to get,” Walsh said. “I told the girls we have a battle with Bishop Mac every year. It’s never an easy game.”

The Irish will return to Chicagoland Christian Conference play, where they’re 2-0 and a combined 28-0 since the conference’s inception three years ago, with a Monday home game against Wheaton Academy.

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Bishop McNamara's Camille Czako throws to first base during a home game against St. Laurence Saturday, April 11, 2026. (Mason Schweizer)