Sunday, June 12, 2011
The five underclass starters for the Redwings, who finished third in the state in Class 4A, went a combined 25-of-51 in the last three games of the season.
EAST PEORIA – The celebration on the field after Benet Academy’s softball team took third in the state in Class 4A Saturday was all about this year’s group. But the attention immediately turned to the underclassmen that fueled the Redwings’ run through the postseason. Five underclassmen were in the starting lineup for Benet this season, and in the two state tournament games and the supersectional win that pushed the Redwings to state, they were the key to the whole run. Combined, junior Kendall Duffy, sophomores Maeve McGuire and Ali Michalik and freshmen Marissa Panko and Julianne Rurka went 25-for-51 in the three wins. Of the 14 total runs that Benet scored, they scored 10 and 12 were driven in by them. “What is really key is that our …
Benet 7, New Trier 4. The Redwings tie the school record for wins (31) while senior pitcher Allyson Staats sets a new school mark for pitching wins (29).
EAST PEORIA – Benet Academy’s softball team has developed a reputation this season as being a group that refuses to give up, even if it is down in a game. It seemed only fitting that the Redwings overcame an early deficit to New Trier to capture third place in Class 4A at the East Side Centre in East Peoria Saturday. Down 2-0 through two innings, the Redwings came through with a four-run third to pave the way for a 7-4 win, tying the school record for wins in a season (31) in the process. “Our attitude has always been that we don’t quit,” Benet coach Jerry Schilf said. “We fell behind there. In a third place game, all of a sudden you can convince yourself that it’s a meaningless game. The kids didn’t do that. They battled.” Benet (31-11) …
Friday, June 10, 2011
Moline 5, Benet 3. The Redwings will play for third place in Class 4A at 4:30 p.m. Saturday against New Trier in East Peoria.
EAST PEORIA – Benet Academy’s softball team was in a great position in its first-ever state tournament game Friday against Moline. The Redwings had just taken back the momentum by tying the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the sixth. But two batters into the seventh, it all came crashing down. After an error to lead off the inning, Moline sophomore Jordan de los Reyes crushed a two-run home run to send the Maroons to Saturday’s Class 4A state championship game against St. Charles North. The 5-3 loss pushes Benet into Saturday’s third-place game at 4:30 p.m. at East Side Centre in East Peoria against New Trier. “I thought the momentum had swung our way,” Benet coach Jerry Schilf said. “Unfortunately, we had an error to start the seventh inning …
Monday, June 6, 2011
Benet 4, Richards 1. Redwings upset nationally ranked Bulldogs, advance to weekend's 4A semifinals in East Peoria.
DARIEN – Monday marked the third time that Benet’s softball program had appeared in a supersectional game. Unlike the first two times, (losses to heavily favored Lake Park in 2004 and 2005), the Redwings thought that they could hang with nationally ranked Richards at the Class 4A Hinsdale South Supersectional. They not only hung with Richards. They stunned the Bulldogs, 4-1, and advance to this weekend’s Class 4A state tournament in East Peoria for the first time in program history. “The two times before on this field we had Lake Park and they were much more heavily favored than we were,” Benet coach Jerry Schilf said. “We were almost glad to be there. That wasn’t the case today. We expected to win. "We came into this game giving Richards …
