In the latest installment of Oak Park’s high school Crosstown Showdown, host Oak Park and River Forest knocked off Fenwick 4-1, May 16, in a non-conference softball game.
“Fenwick’s a really good team,” said OPRF coach J.P. Coughlin. “I’d be very surprised if they don’t win their sectional. They battled, played good defense, and their kids threw strikes. They’re a tough team, and I’m really impressed.”
This year’s game was much more competitive than last year (13-0 OPRF victory), and that made Fenwick coach Valerie Jisa happy despite the outcome.
“I’m really proud of the girls,” she said. “Our pitching was solid, and we know what we need to work on — stringing hits together.”
OPRF (26-8) started fast in the bottom of the first on a solo homer to left by Elyssa Hasapis and an Anna Topel RBI single.
Fenwick (12-9) bounced back in the top of the second with a Leah Lowery solo homer to left-center. But the Huskies responded in the bottom half with an RBI triple from Sofia Ayala and an RBI groundout by Gloria Hronek.
That concluded the game’s scoring as the pitchers on both sides took over. Aria Hammerschmidt went the distance for OPRF, allowing one run on five hits with three walks and six strikeouts.
“Aria’s had some success over the years [against Fenwick],” Coughlin said of the senior, who’s won all three of her starts against the Friars.
Lowery, a senior, started in the circle for Fenwick, allowing four runs on four hits with a walk and three strikeouts in two innings. Sophie Stone, her classmate, took over the circle in the third and tossed four scoreless frames, allowing two hits and three walks with two strikeouts.
But Lowery still had a positive impact on the game for the Friars with a pair of great defensive plays in right field. She had a sliding catch in the third, then threw out Julia Mattiace trying to score on a hit by Ayala in the sixth.
Fenwick had chances for more runs, putting multiple runners on base in the fourth, sixth, and seventh innings. But the Friars weren’t able to come up with the big hit each time.
“We’ve got to be more productive to get across the plate,” Jisa said.
Even so, she felt her team got valuable preparation for the upcoming IHSA Class 3A state tournament.
“For sure,” she said. “Having this along with Riverside-Brookfield, those were teams I wanted them to go up against to have those challenges. OPRF is a team of hitters and I wanted our defense to keep doing what they’ve been doing — locking things down.”
OPRF, which finished third in Class 4A last year, is the top seed in the Maine South Sectional. The Huskies have a bye and will meet either Niles West or St. Ignatius in the regional title game at Niles West, May 24 at 4:30 p.m.
“I thought last year we were the best defensive team in the state, and I think this year we’re better,” Coughlin said. “If we make plays, we can beat any team in the state.”
Fenwick is seeded third at the Class 3A Glenbard South Sectional. The Friars faced Noble Street in a semifinal of the Trinity Regional at Triton College in River Grove, May 21 (after press time). Assuming a win, Fenwick would meet either the host Blazers or Montini for the regional title, May 24 at 5 p.m.
“As long as they stay focused and keep working hard, I’m confident,” Jisa said. “We really haven’t tapped our full potential, and that’s the coolest part. There are so many small things that once we tweak will make a difference.”