Softball: Bombs Away for Joliet Catholic; Spartans Drop Home Game

Not much was working for Romeoville at the plate as the Spartans managed just three hits while leaving eight runners on base in an 11-1 home loss to Joliet Catholic Academy Monday.

The Spartans (8-2) could not figure out JCA (8-1) pitcher Mallory Goulding (4-0) as she threw six innings of one-run softball with six strikeouts and two walks.

The one-run production came after Romeoville pushed 16 runs in Saturday’s doubleheader sweep of Argo.

Goulding got out of a bases loaded jam in the first inning to preserve a 1-0 lead by inducing Romeoville first baseman and pitcher Melissa Guzior into consecutive infield pop ups.

“I thought our pitcher did a great job,” JCA coach Dave Douglas said. “She had some situations where we made errors. Sometimes, pitches get themselves a little wound up and go crazy from there. She kept her poise and did a good job.”

Romeoville pitcher Melissa Guzior took the loss, going three innings while giving up seven runs on eight hits and two walks. Teammate Elaina Caron finished the game with a four-run, three-inning outing while yielding seven hits.

Romeoville coach Christina Douglas said the first inning was the difference maker.

Center fielder Abby Smith slapped an infield single and left fielder Jessica Kehoe reached on an error. After third baseman Cece Floyd struck out, designated player Jami Shawmeker walked.

“In the first inning, we came out lethargic,” Douglas said. “We had a strikeout and two pop ups with girls who could hit the ball out of the yard. We just didn’t make the adjustments. The pitcher wasn’t throwing the ball by us, but we didn’t make the adjustments."

Romeoville's gloves weren't sharp either, as a couple errors and lack of defensive hustle resulted in bloopers landing for hits. Douglas lectured her players on “getting dirty” after the third inning.

“Nothing more frustrates myself and the pitching coach when a routine fly ball drops in there on the grass and no one is laying out for it,” Douglas said. “Four runs were scored on pop ups. Two were base hits in the book, but we should’ve made a better effort on them.”

In the second, Joliet Catholic had two players score on RBIs by catcher Haley Gerl and center fielder Alyssa Fehrenbacher for a 3-0 lead. Smith had an RBI triple in the bottom half to cut the deficit to 3-1.

But the Angels blew the contest open with a four-run third.

JCA first baseman Kayla Borgra whacked one of her two homers to left-center field. Gouzier walked right fielder Kayla Zembruski and Goulding doubled to right. Gouzier had a throwing error while third baseman Kelly Valencik looped a two-run infield single after a run-scoring fielder’s choice for a 7-1 Angel lead.

JCA scored an unearned run in the fourth, had a 1-2-3 inning in the fifth and tallied three in the sixth on Borgra’s second yard-shot for the final tally.

The lone bright spot for the Spartans was Smith, who went 2-for-2 at the plate with an RBI triple and reached on an error. Smith also prevented Zembruski’s sixth inning double from being a home run.

Romeoville’s next game is Tuesday at home against Plainfield North.