Marist’s bats showed up too late Friday.
The Redhawks rallied from a three-run deficit to tie the game in the seventh inning before Plainfield East scored in its final at-bat to win 6-5 at The Ballpark in Rosemont.
Marist’s Madison Naujokas hit a two-run triple and scored on an RBI single by Vanessa Villasenor to tie the game, but East loaded the bases and won on a sacrifice fly to center field off the bat of Bianca Vozenilek.
Marist had runners in scoring position with only one out twice in the early innings but failed to bring them home.
“I feel like we didn’t come out ready to hit. We came out sort of flat,” Naujokas said. “We could have come out better in the first few innings. You just have to adjust to what the pitcher throws you. You’re going to see it all, low and high, and you have to go up there each at-bat and be ready to adjust to whatever’s thrown.”
Plainfield East scored in each of the first three innings on Redhawks starting pitcher Zariya Gonzalez and led 4-0 before Marist (1-1) scored twice in the top of the fourth.
Naujokas singled, stole second and later scored when Vozenilek walked in a run. Villasenor also scored in the inning on an RBI groundout off the bat of Hayley Franks.
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Plainfield East made it 5-2 with a run in the bottom of the fourth and the teams went scoreless until the seventh.
Marist’s three-run seventh began with singles from Amanda McIlhany and Paige Egan. Naujokas tripled to the wall in right-center and scored when Villasenor laced a ball down into right field to tie the game.
But with Villasenor on first and only one out, Marist flew out twice to left field.
“Girls came out with fire at the end of the game and wanted to get on, and a few of us did,” Naujokas said. “Brooke (Wilson) and Zariya hit the ball hard in the last inning, but they were right at girls.”
Marist coach Colleen Biebel would have liked to see her girls capitalize on more opportunities.
“I liked that the girls were able to come back and tie it up. It’s just disappointing that we weren’t able to get that last run and finish it off,” Biebel said.
Gonzalez, who struck out five, walked two, and gave up eight hits, gave up a pair of singles and a walk in the seventh inning to set up Vozenilek’s game-winning fly ball.
Gonzalez, McIlhany, and Naujokas had two hits apiece and Marist got singles from Wilson and Alexis Rogers.
“It’s a tough loss but something we can learn from,” Biebel said. “Plainfield East came out, made the plays, and they were playing strong. We just have to bounce back tomorrow.”
Marist hosts St. Viator for a Saturday doubleheader.
Gary Larsen is a freelance writer.