C & C Track Works uses 5-run second in topping Chismarick Realty for SGS 12-15 Division city championship

STREATOR — If you showed up after the first two innings of Thursday night’s Streator Girls Softball 12-15 Division city championship game between C & C Track Works and Chismarick Realty, you unfortunately missed all of the game’s offensive fireworks.

However, if you stuck around to watch the next four-and-a-half innings, you were treated to some tremendous pitching efforts and solid defensive play that kept each team off the scoreboard again.

In the end, C & C Track Works broke 5-5 deadlock with five tallies in the bottom of the second to capture the title with a 10-5 victory at Bodznick Field.

“I think there were a lot of nerves early and it got both teams, but I feel all the girls started to relax a little bit and just played ball,” C & C Track Works coach Dustin Holocker said. “This is the kind of game I expected because we had some really good games with them this season and it seemed like every one of them was back-and-forth. We were able to come out on the good end of that second inning and then from there both teams really held the other down.

“We definitely had some jitters in the top of the first, but we were able get past those and really played a solid final five innings.”

Chismarick Realty plated five runs in the opening half inning to gain the upper hand. Sophia Macias singled to left to lead off the game and scored on consecutive fielding errors. Caria Bruton then stole home on the back end of a double steal before Lilly Libby scored Ava Gwaltney with a base hit to center. Libby came around to score on a passed ball and Addison Henderson, who had walked, touched home on a throw to first on a dropped-third strike.

In the C & C Track Works first, Taylor Heidenreich and Ebony Brown walked and scored on a two-run triple to left by Jade Williams, with the latter scoring a pitch later on a passed ball. Alyssa Salisbury walked, moved to second on an Alison Ramirez single and scored on a wild pitch, before and bases loaded walk to Ashlee Taylor tied things at 5-all.

“(C & C Track Works) played great defense tonight and they really have all season,” Chismarick Realty coach Eric Gwaltney said. “We’ve battled with them a few times this season, we won a couple and so did they. We didn’t hit the ball too badly tonight, but after that first inning they made all plays that were there to make. We seemed to settle in after the second inning and held them in check, but we just couldn’t get anything going.

“We started out the season 0-3, then won six straight games, and really started playing with confidence for the rest of the season. They all showed tremendous improvements and made really great strides in becoming better softball players.”

C & C Track Works added what would prove to be the winning runs in the second, starting with Maddi Holocher and Brown each being hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Williams then knocked in her third run of the game with a fielder’s choice before Crissy Taylor (HBP) and Salisbury (walk) recorded RBIs with the bases loaded.

From the third inning on, only seven runners combined reached base, but none were able to score.

Henderson (1 2/3 IP, 1 K), Kaylee Dulabhan (1 1/3 IP) and Ava Gwaltney (2 IP, 3 K) combined efforts in the circle for Chismarick Realty. C & C Track Works’ Salisbury (3 IP, 2 K) worked the first, second and sixth innings, while lefty Heidenreich retired all nine batters she faced in the third through the fifth, including one by strike out and seven via groundouts.

“This feels great because last year we lost in the championship by one run to finish second,” said Heidenreich, who will be a freshman at Woodland High School this upcoming school year.

“I’ve felt like I’ve pitched pretty well this summer, but this I think was my best game. I’m just glad I was able to do well and help the team win. This was a very fun end to a fun season.”