Angels softball team victorious over Marquette (14-4)

The Joliet Catholic Academy Angels put up nine runs in the opening frame to propel them to a 14-4 win in five innings over Marquette at June Gross Field.

The initial eight batters of the game reached base for Joliet Catholic (7-6) — six of those registering hits, the other two drawing bases on balls. The big hit came off the bat of pitcher Alivia Phelps, who helped her own cause by connecting for a grand slam to left field. That chased Marquette starting pitcher Cate Thompson (0 IP, 5 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, 0 K) from the circle, only five batters in.

The Angels weren’t done scoring, though. They scored four more runs in the frame following Phelps’ bases-filled home run, which included a run-scoring infield hit from Caitlyn Spreitzer along with RBI groundouts by Sara Chamberlin and Brenna Garland.

Published in the The Times. Read more at: Shaky start deals Lady Cru loss

Hilltopper baseball defeats Providence (12-5)

JCA (13-2), which scored four runs in each of the second and third innings after two were out, led, 11-0, behind winning pitcher Danny Belling, who allowed three hits and a walk in three scoreless innings, before Providence (13-3) erupted for five runs in the fourth against reliever Jared Jones.

Tom Kelley had just doubled in two runs and Jackson Stulas tripled in two more for the Celtics. Mike Quiram entered with nobody out and walked Mike Madej, who had two singles earlier. But Quiram, the usual third baseman and staff closer, stranded the runners at first and third and retired 12 of the last 13 batters he faced to close it out. He struck out five, and the only runner he allowed reached on an error.

Published in the Herald-News (Joliet). Read more at: JCA downs Providence