York coach Lisa Fraticola could be forgiven if she gets dizzy watching her softball team hit the ball around these days.

The Dukes sure dig the long ball.

York (10-8) has clobbered 26 homers in its first 18 games this spring. The long balls are a big reason why the Dukes have put up 68 runs over their first five West Suburban Silver games during a 4-1 start.

York is no stranger to good softball. The Dukes made state appearances in 2003, 2013 and 2018. But Fraticola isn’t sure if York has ever had a team like this.

“The team is insane,” Fraticola said. “Our season has bene crazy, pretty sure the most home run hitting team in the history of York softball.”

Leading the way in the long ball department is senior shortstop Lilly Burda with seven homers. Emily McNichols and Sara Steinecker both have five as does Myka Matykiewicz, who leads York with a .471 batting average and .500 on-base percentage.

“She is absolutely crushing it,” Fraticola said. “I knew we had the capability. Lilly has been consistent the last four years. McNichols hit well last year, but not like this. She is having a heck of a season. One through five, they are crazy.”

Four of York’s eight losses came to teams ranked in the Illinois Coaches Association poll, including a wild 24-17 loss to Oak Park-River Forest, third in the state last year, on April 15.

The Dukes turned around and beat OPRF 14-2 in the rematch. York has won five of six games since that loss.

“OPRF is always ranked, nobody is seeing us,” Fraticola said. “Our pitchers had an off game the first game we played them. My sophomore pitcher, Brooklyn McMillen, she has stepped into a big role and is doing phenomenal.”

Fraticola is finding it hard to write a lineup with so many hot hitters.

She subbed in Brin Matykiewicz, Myka’s twin sister, and Kayla Winters for a game.

Of course, they both homered.

“We’ve been telling them hit line drives, no pop ups and I’m like, ‘OK going for a line drive, how about a home run over a fence,’” Fraticola said. “We’ve worked to move runners with the bunt game, doing whatever to move the runners. Things are going so well. Excited for the second half of the season.”

Quite an encore for R-B sophomore

Mia Melendez burst onto the scene last spring with a strong freshman season.

The Riverside-Brookfield cleanup hitter batted .460 with 11 homers and a whopping 60 runs batted in.

How could she top that?

Well, Melendez is well on her way. Through 17 games, Melendez is batting .450 and already has hit 10 homers with 21 RBIs, 19 runs scored and an impressive 15 walks.

“She picked up right where she left off,” R-B coach Emma Jarrell said. “She is a super hard worker. She swings at good pitches. She has a good mindset whenever she is going to the plate. She is not swinging at junk. She knows what she wants to hit and she has a very good approach.”

at A super-strong kid who also does cheerleading, Melendez parked two homers against Glenbard South that Jarrell estimated traveled at least 250 feet.

She hit one well onto the adjacent baseball field, and the next home run was a grand slam.

“We do weights in the offseason and she never missed a day of it,” Jarrell said. “Just a strong kid.”

The Bulldogs (15-2) get a rematch Tuesday against West Chicago, one of their two losses.

Next week is a big one, with road games at Glenbard East, Glenbard South and York.

“We were very successful at the end of last year, and rolled that into this season,” Jarrell said. “They know what it takes to be a good team. They have a very good bond and work well together which is great to see them keep it rolling.”