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Kayden Corneils, Jillian Freemon help Sandwich flip the script from previous loss to Plano

Sandwich senior Kayden Corneils

Kayden Corneils had an uncharacteristic day at the plate the last time Sandwich faced Plano.

Sandwich’s senior leadoff hitter went without a base hit, one of just two times this spring in 20 games. And Corneils struck out, one of just three all season.

“I just focused on what I was doing wrong mechanically,” Corneils said. “Other than that, just bringing a new approach to the at-bat. Last game we struggled, we were looking way too much.”

Corneils and the Indians got it right Tuesday.

She had two singles and scored two runs in the middle of two big Sandwich innings.

Jillian Freemon had three hits, drove in four and tossed a one-hitter in the circle as Sandwich beat visiting Plano 10-0 in six innings in the Kishwaukee River Conference matchup.

Plano (5-14, 2-5) beat Sandwich (12-8, 4-4) 4-0 on April 7. This time the Indians scored four runs in the third, five in the fifth and finished it off with Freemon’s RBI single in the sixth.

“Our hitting the first game was not there,” Sandwich assistant coach Courtney Gallagher said. “We adjusted and got on top of them. It took a little bit longer today to get into the hitting, but second time through we were picking her up for sure.”

Corneils, to no surprise, was a catalyst.

Her single in the third inning loaded the bases, setting the stage for Abigail Johnson’s two-run single for the game’s first two runs.

Corneils led off the fifth with another single, an inning in which the Indians sent 10 batters to the plate. Kendall Petre had an RBI single in the inning.

“Kayden is one of our seniors and captains,” Gallagher said. “She brings the leadership as well as the athletic ability.”

She certainly has the hit tool.

Corneils batted .435 with 37 hits and 22 RBIs as a sophomore, and followed that up last season by hitting .573 with 47 hits, 19 for extra bases, after moving to leadoff.

She’s even better this year, batting .582 with 46 hits, 16 for extra bases, and 28 runs scored.

“She has that natural athletic ability, plus it’s her drive and her passion for the sport,” Gallagher said. “She works really hard in and out of school, in and out of the sport.”

Indeed, Corneils puts in the time at Elite Sports Performance in Oswego. The Waubonsee Community College commit goes there during the winter once a week, during the season every other week.

“Just a lot of practice. Outside of practice practicing,” Corneils said. “I take lessons personally and work on my own, and go to the ESP facility.”

Sandwich junior Jillian Freemon

Freemon found herself batting with runners on three times Tuesday, and came through each time. She went the opposite way for a triple to right in the third, driving in two to make it 4-0.

Freemon hit a bloop single in the center in the fifth for a 5-0 lead before her single in the sixth.

“Mainly just trying to make contact in those situations,” Freemon said. “If they happen to be a powerful one I’m happy, but the main thing is to get on base.”

Freemon, back after missing one game, breezed in the circle, retiring 11 batters in a row at one point. She struck out four and walked just one.

“She came off of an injury a couple games ago, took a slide to the ankle at third base. Having some rest days was really helpful to her I thought,” Gallagher said. “She saw the ball well at the plate, pitching was hitting her spots great, doing what we needed.”

Plano’s Elizabeth Hansel retired the first seven batters she faced before things got away, to which Reapers’ coach Dwayne Love credited the Sandwich hitters.

“I was calling some inside pitches and they were going inside out on me and hitting over to the opposite side. Testament to them hitting the ball,” Love said. “I didn’t think we played that bad. We just didn’t put enough balls in play.”

Hansel and MaKenzie Strausberger, who teamed up to shut out Sandwich the last game, are two of five freshmen Love is playing.

Chesney Schimandle had a hit for Plano Tuesday.

“Five freshmen on the field and contending with a bunch of teams with juniors and seniors. We’re doing OK,” Love said. “Last three games, barring Somonauk, we went down by one run and were leading in all three. We are right there.”

Joshua  Welge

Joshua Welge

I am the Sports Editor for Kendall County Newspapers, the Kane County Chronicle and Suburban Life Media, covering primarily sports in Kendall, Kane, DuPage and western Cook counties. I've been covering high school sports for 24 years. I also assist with our news coverage.