Softball: Plainfield East stifles Bolingbrook
By Tim Tierney For Sun-Times Media April 16, 2012 10:40PM
Plainfield East's Fran Giovannini puts down a bunt vs. Bolingbrook. | Larry Kane~For Sun-Times Media
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Updated: May 18, 2012 9:48AM
Plainfield East pitcher Annie Molek isn’t successful because she rocks back on the mound and mercilessly fires the ball past the opposition.
“She’s not overpowering, but she hits her spots,’’ East coach Chris Morris said. “She moves the ball.’’
Those control skills were evident Monday. Molek threw six scoreless innings and recorded eight strikeouts in an 8-1 victory over visiting Bolingbrook.
“I tried to keep the ball low because I knew if they got hold of anything, anything would go out,’’ Molek said.
The recent windy conditions were back again, a factor Molek is getting used to this spring in the open area around the East athletic fields.
“The first game it was windy it affected me mentally, but now I’m just like ‘Oh, it’s another windy day,’ ’’ Molek said.
No. 10 East (10-7) batted around in the second inning that started with two errors and a walk. Nina Maggio stroked a two-out, two-run double and Molek helped her own cause with an RBI single for a 4-0 lead.
“That was big because until just recently, runners in scoring position, one or two outs, we’ve been struggling to get that big hit,’’ Morris said. “We finally started to get it going, so hopefully it keeps up.’’
Molek (2-for-4, run) started the three-run fifth with a double. Jusse Bunn (2-for-2) and Caitlyn Lee had RBI singles that inning.
The second was the only inning Molek didn’t retire Bolingbrook in order. But after back-to-back singles by Marisa Cinquepalmi and Ashley Deluca, Molek defused the threat with two groundouts and a strikeout.
“I have to focus and ignore those two runners on and know that I need to get the outs,’’ Molek said.
“She did a great job,’’ Morris said. “She’s done a phenomenal job for us all year. I think she had maybe one shaky game. She’s been rock solid for us.’’
Cinquepalmi (2-for-3) scored the only run for Bolingbrook (8-8) on a wild pitch in the seventh.
“We didn’t come out and hit,’’ Bolingbrook coach Jean Ryan-Moak said. “We only had four hits. It can’t happen like that on the varsity level, especially with eight strikeouts.
“Hitting has always been our downfall. I’ve been here 10 years and it’s been an issue for 10 years. Hitting is contagious, but so are our slumps.’’
