Playing talented teams early is a Richards softball tradition.
Getting shut out by three of them is not.
Tuesday was definitely more like it for the Bulldogs, who put it all together to beat Tinley Park 5-1 and knock the Titans from the ranks of the unbeaten.
“We are not yet where we want to be, but we’re proud of our senior leadership and the noticeable improvements of the team,” Richards coach Julie Folliard said.
The Bulldogs (3-4) roared to life against Tinley behind the bats of Abby Gentile (2-for-3, 2 RBIs), Emily Wetzel (3-for-4, double), Sara Kiziak (3-for-4, double) and Sam Waller (RBI single).
Kiziak was also stellar in the circle in holding what had been a potent Titan offense to one run.
“We needed a strong and balanced effort,” Folliard said. “Tinley Park is always tough. We were really proud of the team’s effort.”
Earlier this season, the Bulldogs were blanked by Mother McAuley, Lemont and Oak Forest.
“We’ve used our early struggles to bring out the competitor in each of us,” Folliard said. “They’ve helped us stay focused on making steady progress each day. We’ve fought hard and have done a lot of character building, both very important to getting us where we aim to be in May.”
Under Folliard’s guidance, Richards has had 25 consecutive winning seasons.
Not a fluke
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T.F. South’s Montana Martinez made quite a splash as a freshman in 2014 when she was brought up for the final 11 games and hit two grand slams. She ended her mini-varsity season with a team-leading 21 RBIs.
This season she’s producing from the start. Over the Rebels’ first six games, the shortstop/catcher is hitting .400, with three home runs, nine RBIs and nine runs.
In Wednesday’s 14-4 victory over Evergreen Park, Martinez was 3-for-3 with a home run and three runs as the Rebels improved to 4-2.
She has yet to strike out this season.
“(Martinez) has definitely transitioned into becoming one of our team leaders in many aspects,” T.F South coach Jamie Arundel said. “She is the first to pump up the girls. She is the voice and captain on the field.
“In every at bat she is going to make something happen by putting the ball in play, especially with her speed. She is hitting leadoff and multiple times has started a rally for us.”
She’s ba-a-a-ck.
So much for Crete-Monee coach Sue Giannantonio’s retirement.
After 29 years guiding the Warriors, the IHSA Hall of Fame member thought she was moving on at the end of the 2014 season.
The school’s offseason search for a replacement, however, was unsuccessful.
“None of my three assistants wanted to take over as head coach, but they said they would all coach if I came back,” Giannantonio said. “The school asked me to come back and I said yes, so yeah, retirement didn’t last long.
“It was hard to think I was done, I missed teaching and seeing my student-players. So it was easy for me to say yes.”
Giannantonio has a career record of 479-356. Her Warriors teams have won nine conference titles.
Did you know?
Lincoln-Way North shortstop Molly Kapalla was a state finalist on the school’s chess team.
Player of Week
Ashley Galason, of Reavis, is the Daily Southtown Softball Player of the Week.
Galason, a senior shortstop, was 11-for-15 (.733) with two doubles, two triples, five runs, five RBIs. She had at least two hits in games against Tinley Park, Lemont, T.F. South and Oak Forest.
Twitter: @tbaranek
Softball Top 10
Includes records through Wednesday; last week’s rankings in parentheses.
1. Marist 5-1 (2)
2. Lincoln-Way East 4-1 (3)
3. Marian Catholic 5-1 (8)
4. Lockport 5-1 (NR)
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5. Lincoln-Way North 4-1 (NR)
6. Sandburg 7-4 (6)
7. Tinley Park 7-2 (4)
8. Lincoln-Way West 4-3 (2)
9. Beecher 5-2 (7)
10. Providence 3-4 (5)