YHS Sports Roundup: Softball, Boys Tennis Keep Winning

Baseball: Foxes spoil Sycamore’s conference hopes, eye strong finish

The YHS baseball team avoided a three-game sweep to Sycamore on Thursday to conclude play this spring in the Northern Illinois Big 12 Conference East Division. The Foxes featured a double and home run from Josh A. Cooper and a solid start once again on the mound from Derek Piszczek, as well as relief pitching from Tanner Cook, to beat the Spartans, 6-4.

“All three games were very competitive and either team could’ve won,” Yorkville coach Scott Luken said. “It was a nice victory in that third game which cost [Sycamore] a share of the conference title as it would’ve been a three-way tie [with Kaneland and Morris].”

Yorkville was shut out 1-0 by Jake Turner on Monday, striking out 14 times. Tuesday, the Foxes got the bats going, but so did the Spartans, and once again it was a one-run contest that Yorkville lost, 8-7.

“We’re a couple plays away from a 20-win team and I think we are capable of a 20-win team,” Luken said. “We’re looking to finish strong and get on the winning end this week to get ready for regional play.”

The Foxes currently sit at .500 so a winning season remains a big possibility with contests against Metea Valley, Illinois Math & Science Academy and Oswego scheduled for this week.

With so many cancellations this spring, another game could be added to the schedule early next week but nothing is certain.

“We have to get in the right frame of mind to finish strong because we’ve lost a lot of close games,” Luken said. “You look at the glass as being half-full or half-empty and we believe it’s half-full.”

Pisczek continues to pitch extremely well for the Foxes. The rotation also received a huge boost May 9 as Jake Chronsiter made his first start of the spring and was the tough-luck loser.

“He’s come in numerous times in relief for us and gotten us out of big jams so to give up one run in six innings against a good team like Sycamore was huge,” Luken said.

“As for Derek, I’ve been very impressed with how he mixes three different pitches and doesn’t walk anyone. I didn’t think we walked anyone on Thursday. They put the ball in play and I tell the guys good things will happen.”

A perfect 3-0 week would ensure the Foxes of their first winning season since 2002. Even with a loss or two they still have a good shot at finishing with more wins than losses, but the road becomes more difficult with the postseason’s win or go home format.

The Yorkville softball team is heading toward the finish line of the regular season on a roll after going 3-1 last week.

The only loss came in a nail-biting 3-2 decision to DeKalb on Tuesday, which clinched DeKalb’s first conference title since the late 1970s. The teams were knotted at 2-2 entering the seventh inning before the Barbs scored the game winner on a Kelli Gerace RBI single.

“If we could’ve squeezed that one out we could’ve been tied in conference, but we still took second overall,” Yorkville coach Kathi Dockstader said. “We’ve talked about keeping our intensity and being consistent and we did that all week long, even when we got beaten by DeKalb. It was just a great game.”

Monday, Sonja Gilbertson blasted a homer and drove in three runs and Lauren Rhodes tripled and drove in three in a 12-2 victory over Gardner-South Wilmington.

Thursday the Lady Foxes had their second wild extra-inning affair against Kaneland this spring and once again came away victorious. Nicole Hersam came through with a walk-off two-run homer to give Yorkville a 6-4 victory.

Megan Kuhn doubled and tripled and Cacey Maciejewksi had a 3-for-4 day at the plate to pace the offense.

The Lady Foxes continued their strong week with an easy, 12-2 win against Somonauk on Friday to improve to 16-10.

“Nicole is starting to hit and she’s not the only one, so with everyone kind of coming through it’s been nice,” Dockstader said. “One of the goals was to repeat as regional champs and they are ready for it. They liked doing it last year and are pretty hungry to do it again.”

Girls soccer ends in Class 2A playoffs

The net just stayed empty.

There were chances throughout the afternoon, but the Yorkville girls soccer team wasn’t able to finish last Friday, and saw its season come to a close with a 1-0 loss to Aurora Central Catholic in the Class 2A regionals.

“They played well and ACC is a good team, but we felt like we controlled a lot more of the game than they did,” Yorkville coach Mike Jacobs said. “We had a few close opportunities but we just couldn’t capitalize.”

It’s never easy for a team to say goodbye, especially in a game that’s not decided until the final horn, but the Lady Foxes walked off the field for a final time this spring Friday in Aurora.

“They were pretty upset, but there wasn’t much we could say to them,” Jacobs said. “We just tried to remind them that we were honored to be their coaches, aren’t ashamed of anything they’ve done and to remember this feeling and game so we can come back again next year and learn from this.”

Prior to the postseason loss, the Lady Foxes dropped a 4-0 decision to Morris on Tuesday but came back to beat Ottawa, 3-2, on Wednesday to finish the regular season at 5-16-1 overall.

“We learned a lot about soccer and each other this season,” Jacobs said. “The girls learned how hard they can push themselves physically and mentally. Some learned to be leaders and they all understand how we’re a family from one town.

“I have to borrow a quote from wrestling because it’s so true. We are a Yorkville soccer family and that’s why it’s so tough to lose because the little family is done now.”

Great state: Yorkville track and field advances

Ester Bell won the 3,200 meters with a time of 11 minutes 33.98 seconds, Ali Hester was tops in the 1,600 with a 5:13.97 and the 4 x 400 relay team edged Hampshire, 4:05.35 to 4:05.93 to win during Thursday’s Class 2A Ottawa sectional and automatically earn a trip to the state finals.

Also advancing for the Lady Foxes were Leena Palmer, who was second in the 800 at 2:22.37, Bri Stuepfert, who placed third in the 3,200 at 9:51.27 and the 4 x 800 relay team.

The boys team will look for similar success on Thursday when it heads to the Rochelle sectional.

Bad weather: The menace of tennis

Wet and stormy conditions on Saturday forced the postponement of the second day of the Northern Illinois Big 12 Conference boys tennis tournament. The Foxes are looking to put an exclamation point on a perfect regular conference season. The meet was scheduled to be completed Monday.

The Foxes had no trouble in beating Oswego and Plainfield Central during the week to improve to 19-1.