Wilmington fails to stop Beecher’s unbeaten season

BEECHER – For more than 20 years now, the Beecher softball program has been a well-oiled machine that’s churned out four state championships, seven state appearances, 11 sectional championships and 18 regional titles since head coach Kevin Hayhurst took over in 2002-03.

As the Bobcats were able to contain a talented Wilmington team to the tune of a 6-1 home win Thursday, that machine is showing no signs of slowing down.

Beecher got yet another splendid pitching performance from Taylor Norkus and recorded 10 hits offensively to stifle a Wilmington (13-5) team that entered Thursday winners of six of its last seven games to improve its unbeaten start of the season to 19-0.

For junior second baseman Elena Kvasnicka, who had a game-high three hits Thursday, it’s not like the Bobcats have anything flashy or special about their game. They’re just a group of girls that have been playing together since they were kids, and under Hayhurst since they were sixth graders at Beecher Elementary.

“We just play how we have been,” Kvasnicka said. “We’ve all been together since we were in junior high, so we just play as a team.”

Kvasnicka’s first-inning single brought home leadoff hitter and Florida State commit Ava Lorenzatti, with Lorenzatti’s RBI double in the second the only run support Norkus would need before a three-run third gave the Bobcats breathing room.

Norkus, a Colgate commit, improved to 8-0 on the season after allowing an earned run on five hits, a walk and 11 strikeouts in a complete game Thursday, allowing no more than one run in seven of those starts. Paired with Lorenzatti, who’s won the other 11 games for the Bobcats in the circle and allowed a run or less in 10 of them, Kvasnicka said the rest of the team feels some weight lifted off their shoulders no matter who toes the rubber.

“It relaxes us a lot,” Kvasnicka said. “It helps when you go up to bat, you don’t have to worry. If you make a mistake in the field, it’s not too big of a deal, because the pitchers are gonna help you out.”

Norkus and Lorenzatti join Kvasnicka in a deep group of Beecher juniors that were responsible for seven of the team’s 10 hits Thursday, with senior shortstop Ava Olson (RBI single) and freshman third baseman Allie Johnson (2 for 2, one run, one RBI) responsible for the other three.

Part of the machine-like feel to the Bobcat program is how often a few freshmen each year are asked to fill starting voids immediately. Olson was once one of those freshman, and now that she’s on the other side as a senior, she’s tried to mimic some of the leaders she played under during her younger days.

ExpandAutoplay

Image 1 of 9

Wilmington's Taylor Stefancic, right, fields a ground ball as Beecher's Alexa Gliva runs home during a game at Beecher Thursday, April 24, 2025. (Mason Schweizer)

“I always like to think about the upperclassmen from when I was younger, especially Abby Sippel and Kylie Cook, who were seniors two years ago,” Olson said. “They were my infield buddies and kind of always pushed me to be who I am today. I try to reverse that role and be that girl to my little sisters.”

Although they weren’t able to be the first team to take out the Bobcats, Wildcats head coach Jack Skole largely liked what he saw from the visiting team Thursday. And although there’s still plenty of regular season left, he knows the long-term benefits an experience like Thursday can provide.

“We knew coming in we’d see a great pitcher, we’d see balls put in play, they’re not gonna make mistakes and take advantage of mistakes,” Skole said. “It was good to see this and I’m glad we got it in. Coming into regionals, that’s what you look for.”

And while the veteran coach has been around for plenty of matchups with Beecher, Skole liked the attitude the Wildcats brought with them Thursday.

“You have to have a short memory in this game, and that’s the one good thing about these guys,” Skole said. “They’re very competitive and give themselves a chance to win. I’ve had teams come here before and even before getting into Beecher on the bus, they knew they weren’t gonna win. This team doesn’t have that attitude, and that’s great.”