Early lead calms C-G’s Efflandt

E-mail this story

Print this story

Share

HUNTLEY – Cary-Grove’s four first-inning runs in its Huntley Sectional softball semifinal against Elgin were a welcome relief.

The Trojans rode that lead to a 6-0 win against the Maroons on Wednesday and advanced to the sectional championship Saturday. C-G will face the winner of today’s game between Jacobs and Hononegah.

After needing eight innings to get the only run of the game in its 1-0 regional final win against Grant on Saturday, C-G scored early Wednesday. Sarah Leudo doubled home two runs in the first for the inning’s only hit.

“That’s what we were looking for, to score big in the first and go on from there,” Leudo said.  

Leudo said she wasn’t looking for a big hit in the first inning, just to get another run in after the Trojans had scored twice.

“I focused on getting it down and not popping it up,” Leudo said.

Freshman Lindsay Efflandt gave up three hits to earn the shutout. It was a different sort of game for Efflandt, too, as she did not get her first of four strikeouts until the sixth inning. Against Grant, Efflandt struck out 15.

Efflandt said Elgin was doing a good job of putting the ball in play, and she relied on her teammates to get the outs. The Trojans played errorless ball against Elgin, which had two ground ball outs in each of the first five innings.

“That’s what kept me going, my team making all those plays,” Efflandt said. “I feel so confident. They were just great.”

The Trojans (31-6) got walks in the first inning from Eleni Polites and Abbe Wienckowski, and Taylor Dunne reached first after getting hit by a pitch. All three came in to score.

The early lead let Efflandt pitch to her strengths and didn’t force her to be perfect. She walked one batter, and two of the three hits she surrendered came after two outs.

“That’s huge,” Efflandt said of pitching with a big lead. “I think I did what I needed to.”

Efflandt found her strikeout form late in the game. She struck out two to end the sixth inning and opened the seventh by fanning two.

C-G coach Tammy Olson said after struggling to score against Grant, the early runs helped offensively and eased things on defense.

Shortstop Emma Gaulke handled five of the ground ball outs, and right fielder Polites made three running flyball catches.  

“It takes a lot of the pressure off,” Olson said. “The infield and outfield did an awesome job today.”