The Riverside Brookfield softball team hosted St. Joseph in a Class 3A regional final on Saturday morning, but the Bulldogs’ wake-up call came 15 minutes later. Trailing 3-0, RB exploded for eight runs in their half of the first inning and added 10 runs in the second frame to cruise to a 20-5 victory.
The Chargers (7-22) seized their surprising 3-0 lead on a triple from Michelle Zarbock that scored two runs and an RBI-single from Erica King.
“It scared me,” said Riverside Brookfield coach Dan Hull about the early deficit. “Everyone says everything is a cinch when you’re playing a team that might not be as good.”
The Bulldogs (23-8) quickly quelled Hulls’ concerns when Lindsay Hayes cranked a three-run homer with Jaimie Duffek and April Hutchens aboard to tie the score at 3-3. Morgan Vogel added a double that scored Fallon Ryan, and Duffek hit a bloop double that brought Vogel and Rachel Buccieri across home plate to build RB’s lead to 6-3.
“I think we had to get all the nerves out and just play our game,” Duffek said. “We had a lot of good energy.”
Hayes (3-for-3, 6 RBIs) capped off the frame, which included eight runs and seven hits, with a two-run double scoring Regan Riley and Duffek.
“I was really happy when we had [that] big first inning.” Hull said. “I don’t care if it’s a slow pitcher or a fast pitcher, some days we just don’t hit.”
In the second inning, Jessie Hutchens, Dana Davidson, April Hutchens, Hayes, Ryan, Sam Pozzie and Vogel all collected RBIs to break open the game. Jessie Hutchens (2-for-2, 4 RBIs) added a three-run home run to push the lead to 18-3.
“Our bats came alive,” Hayes said. “We have seven seniors, four juniors and a bunch of varsity players so we knew what we had to do [today].”
Emma Forsberg (13-2, 0.45 ERA) picked up the win for RB.
Next up for the Bulldogs, who won their sixth regional title in seven years, is No. 3 seed Evergreen Park (Thursday, 4:30 pm) at Glenbard South in a sectional semifinal match-up.
“We’re about even,” Hull said. “When we beat them [3-1] they had three seniors under suspension. Since they have been back, Evergreen Park hasn’t lost.”
Top-seeded/ sectional host Glenbard South faces Montini in the other semifinal today (4:30 p.m.). The semifinal winners will meet on Saturday at 11 a.m. for the sectional championship.