Callie Ferko keeps up her hot hitting, helps Yorkville hammer Joliet West

YORKVILLE – Callie Ferko has a rather simple approach to the art of hitting.

The Yorkville junior swings at the first strike she sees. And she hits a pitch where it’s thrown.

Usually, hard.

“If I see a strike early in the count I’m going to hammer it and take it where it takes me,” Ferko said. “If a pitcher throws me outside, take it to the right side. We’ve been instilled a lot the importance of placing the ball.”

Ferko put that philosophy to good use Wednesday.

She tripled in her first at-bat and doubled in her second, both the opposite way to the right side.

Iowa recruit Kayla Kersting contributed three triples and scored three runs in Yorkville’s 11-1, five-inning win over Joliet West in a Southwest Prairie Conference game.

The Foxes (11-8, 3-4) batted around in a five-run first inning and banged out 12 hits in support of starting pitcher Peyton Levine, who struck out seven. Liv Lathen reached base three times.

Madison Jadron drove in the lone run for Joliet West (2-15, 1-7).

“Hitting where it’s pitched, not trying to over-swing, just hitting the ball where they’re putting it. Their approach was really good today,” Yorkville coach Jory Regnier said. “Defensively, we were solid today. That helps. Consistency is what we’re working on.”

Ferko maintained a consistent approach in both her at-bats.

She tripled over the right fielder to bring in Bella Phillips with Yorkville’s second run after Phillips had squeezed in Kersting.

Next inning, Ferko drilled a double into the right-center field gap, and scored on a Rilee Petrusa double.

“She does a nice job of hitting that pitch and going with it, and hitting it solid,” Regnier said. “It’s not a weak ball when she hits it to the right side.”

Ferko started her first varsity season batting fourth or fifth in the Yorkville lineup. She’s since moved up to third with Kersting now hitting leadoff, and hasn’t stopped hitting well.

That success hasn’t happened by accident.

“First of all, she’s a competitor and she’s a hard worker. She will outwork anybody else,” Regnier said. “She’s always going to be solid and consistent. She has an off day and expects herself to bounce back. She has really earned that spot.

“We’ve moved her up slowly. If Kayla can get herself on and we can move her over, Callie can hit her in.”

Ferko, happy at the opportunity, worked to earn her spot. She’s put in the time with her Yorkville team, and on her own with her family.

“Our coaches have very detailed hitting stations for us,” she said. “During the offseason I go hit balls with my dad and brother. My brother plays college and my dad loves being out there. We really just enjoy the time together.”

Regnier has enjoyed having Ferko on her team, and not just for her hitting.

“She will go up and fight every pitch and every at-bat,” Regnier siad. “She has so much energy. Very lively kid in general, people feed off of her. A great kid on the team and in the dugout.”

Kersting, Ferko and Brooke Ekwinski each had triples in Yorkville’s five-run first, and the Foxes led 7-0 after two innings before Joliet West went to Jadron in relief.

Joliet West’s senior pitcher singled in Mackenzie Mielke, who had doubled, for the Tigers’ lone run in the fourth. Jadron threw two scoreless innings before Yorkville scored three in the fifth, Kersting tripling and scoring the final run on a Phillips’ single.

“They [Yorkville] came out swinging,” Joliet West coach Heather Suca said. “We have a lot of games this week. We have to be able to put somebody on the mound besides our senior. They have to learn to hit their spots.”

Jadron is one of just two seniors that played Wednesday for a young Joliet West team, which did manage five hits but committed three errors.

“We put the ball in play, and we’ve been hitting the ball in play. That’s our strong suit,” Suca said. “We’re young. We have to take care of the ball and have someone besides our senior throw.”

Yorkville has won three of four since a three-game losing streak, and Ferko thinks the best is yet to come.

“I think we have so much potential,” Ferko said. “I truly believe we have a next level in us.”