It’s been an up and down season for the Joliet West softball season, and unfortunately for them it’s been more down than up. Wednesday saw them host Joliet Central, an opponent who has also had more downs than ups this year.

Alas for the Steelmen, Wednesday was yet another valley, but for Tiger fans, it was a massive peak.

Joliet West slammed three home runs, including one from Gabriela Juarez, who also struck out 10 batters in the circle. It all amounted to a dominant 15-2 victory over Joliet Central.

Joliet West (8-14) began the year 2-9 before winning five of their next six. That was followed by a four-game skid which was snapped with Wednesday’s victory.

“They stayed loose today,” coach Heather Suca said. “They came out with confidence and stayed loose today, and that was the biggest thing. They were having fun.”

The Tigers were on fire both in the circle and at the plate. Juarez only allowed three hits, walked no one and the two runs were both unearned. She hit a two-run homer, Ella Featherston slammed a solo bomb and Emi Catlin added a homer of her own.

Catlin, a freshman, went 2 for 3 with three RBIs and two runs to continue a strong day for her personally.

“This morning I was hanging out with my teammates and I hit a home run in PE,” Catlin said. “I hit one off one of my older teammates which was really enjoyable which put me in a good mood. That set the tone for the game today.”

Featherston scored on a wild pitch in the first inning before Mallory Crisafulli scored on a passed ball later the same inning. That gave the Tigers a solid 2-0 lead.

The Tigers blew the door down in the second inning. Catlin scored on a wild pitch before Caitlin Jadron’s RBI single scored Featherston the same at bat to make it 4-0, getting things started.

The next at bat, Laci Cole’s RBI single scored Jadron and Juarez scored on an error shortly after. Isla Nitsche’s RBI single scored Madeline Woods right after to make it 8-0.

Catlin homered later to score Nitsche and Ev Mialkowski before Featherston’s solo shot the next at bat. Cole’s sacrifice fly scored Crisafulli later and Juarez’s homer scored Jadron the next at bat.

When the inning was over, the Tigers scored 13 runs and led 15-0.

“We were just having fun, I guess,” Juarez said. “Teammates were all cheering each other up and I kept my mind blank (in the circle). ...We’re ready to do better and once we start winning more we’ll start feeling good.”

Credit the Steelmen (3-13) for never giving up. Jordynn Poke and Haydn Voss doubled on back to back plate appearances before a single by Sophie Litsogannis scored both of them in the top of the fourth. They also kept the Tigers off the board in the third and fourth inning.

“We just have to capitalize on those third and fourth innings we had,” coach Rachel Spata said. “Our bats were hot and we were swinging on the first strike. We just have to cary that straight into tomorrow.”

Joliet Central will face Bolingbrook on the road Thursday while Joliet West will travel to Oswego the same day. In order to get a win-streak going, Catlin believes the team just has to keep focused.

“We just have to keep the energy up,” Catlin said. “We have to stay positive always and not get in our heads.