Glenbard N. 1 2
OPRF 0 3
There were no brooms present at OPRF softball’s doubleheader against Glenbard North on Saturday. There would be no sweeping going on of any kind.
Glenbard North pitcher Hannah Santora held the Huskies to just two hits in Game 1 as the Panthers edged OPRF 1-0. Both hits came from Asia Babbington, who would go on to play a central part in OPRF’s revenge in the nightcap game.
Seana Stillson took the loss in the opener, allowing the one run on six hits in six innings. The senior struckout eight, while her counterpart, Santora, fanned 10.
The Huskies (3-1) were able to avoid a sweep the hard way-battling Glenbard North to a 3-2 victory in nine innings. Sara Hutchinson earned the win, going all nine innings. The senior hurler gave up two runs on six hits. She walked three and fanned seven.
A homer by Jenny Nelson in the third gave Glenbard North a 2-1 lead, but Lauren Gonzalez countered with a round-tripper of her own in the top of the sixth to tie things up.
Babbington singled with one-out in the ninth to start the Huskies’ late-game rally. Maggie Paoli rocketed a double off the left field fence to advance Babbington. Senior Teru Kiefer, who has been plagued by injuries for much of her high school career, drove in the game-winning run with a single. Kiefer, a senior, suffered an ACL tear her freshman year while playing basketball. She then tore her other ACL her junior season during a basketball game. She finished 3-for-4 in Game 2.
“This kid has been through a lot and to have her step up like that and drive in the game-winner really says something about her character,” said OPRF head coach Mel Kolbusz of his centerfielder, who prevented a run in the first inning with a zip of a throw to homeplate, and scored OPRF’s first run. “I’m glad she’s not playing basketball anymore.”
On Thursday, the Huskies edged area-rival Trinity 4-3 in eight innings. Megan White knocked in the game-winner, while Hutchinson racked up 13 strikeouts to grab her first win on the season. Hutchinson gave up three runs on eight hits and walked two. Janie Brennan finished 3-for-4 with two RBIs and Mara Blesoff went 3-for-3 for the Huskies.
OPRF travels to Proviso West on Friday (4:30 p.m.) for its West Suburban (Silver) Conference opener. The team hosts York on Monday.