Softball: Grein, Lincoln-Way Central dominate Lincoln-Way West

NEW LENOX – Half of the top four ranked teams in the most recent Illinois Coaches Association Class 4A poll took the field Thursday at Lincoln-Way West when the No. 3 Warriors played No. 4 Lincoln-Way Central.

For the first three innings, the battle between pitchers Allie Wondrasek of Lincoln-Way West and Lyndsey Grein of Lincoln-Way Central was every bit as anticipated. Both pitchers struck out the side in the first inning, and each retired the first six batters they faced.

The game was scoreless after three innings. With one out in the top of the fourth, however, Central’s McKenzie Murdock changed that when she hit a 2-1 pitch well over the fence in left-center field to give the Knights a 1-0 lead.

“I got an off-speed pitch inside,” Murdock said. “The pitch before, she threw me an off-speed pitch outside. The next one was easier to see because it was inside. I knew it was out when I hit it.

“We knew this was going to be a tough game. Last year [when the Knights finished second in the state in Class 4A] doesn’t matter this year. We still have to come out and compete every day. When we have a run or two with Lyndsey on the mound, we feel pretty good.”

Wondrasek got out of the inning without allowing another run, but she tweaked an injury she has battled all season and did not return to the mound in the fifth.

Central scored a run in the top of the fifth off reliever Olivia Calderone and put the game away with five runs in the sixth and two more in the seventh to claim a 9-0 victory. Grein, a Virginia Tech committ, continued to cruise on the mound, as she finished with a four-hit shutout with 15 strikeouts and no walks.

“My rise ball and changeup were my best pitches today,” Grein said. “[Catcher] Lucy [Cameron] called a great game. When McKenzie gets ahold of one, there is no doubt. That felt good to get a run on the board, and then we we got some more. It’s nice to be on the mound and know that we have an offensive lineup that will score.”

Grein retired the first 10 batters she faced before West’s Abbie Gregus doubled with one out in the fourth. The next Warrior hit, a single off of Grein’s glove, broke a string of six consecutive strikeouts. Cameron Ball delivered a one-out single in the bottom of the seventh, and Avery Imes added a single with two outs in the same inning for the West offense.

“Allie has been battling an injury all year,” West coach Heather Novak said. “She tweaked it today. Every day is a battle because there is so much good softball in this area, but we are going to keep working hard and get better.

“Grein is a great pitcher, and she threw great, but we still need to make some adjustments.”

Grein helped herself at the plate by going 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI, while No. 9 hitter Kendall Pearson was 2 for 4 with a double and three RBIs. Cameron was 2 for 4 with a double, as was Jamie Widule, whose double drove in two in the five-run sixth. Murdock added a single to her homer to also finish with a two-hit day.

“This was a good win for us,” Central coach Jeff Tarala said. “McKenzie got us off to a good start with her home run. Both she and Allie [Wondrasek] are going to Lewis, so they will be able to reminisce about it. Allie is a great pitcher. It could easily have been 1-0 going into the seventh if she stayed in the game.

“We were able to take advantage of some situations and get some more runs, which was nice to see. It was also nice to see Kendall Pearson get a couple of big hits. She popped up a bunt her first time up and was upset with herself, but she hit the ball hard twice after that.”