Bulldog Bats Awaken Against Vikings

Editor's note: This is our weekly Batavia softball roundup. To read our weekly baseball roundup, click .

Apparently, Batavia’s softball team doesn’t take being shut out lightly.

Two weeks after being held scoreless for the only time this season during a 3-0 loss to Geneva and ace pitcher Kelly McCaffrey, the Bulldogs exploded for 15 hits, including six extra-base hits, during their 10-7 Senior Day victory over the Vikings (24-10, 12-6) Friday afternoon in Batavia.

“We didn’t like it because that’s the only time we haven’t scored a run in a game all season,” said senior catcher Emily Dorjath. “We’re a good hitting team and we had a little extra motivation.”

Four-year varsity veterans Christine Lynam and Brooke Nelson added to the Senior Day festivities with memorable games while playing on the Bulldogs’ home field for the last time.

After Geneva put five runs on the board in the top of the fifth to cut Batavia’s lead to 8-7, Lynam helped provide some insurance when she smacked a home run as part of the Bulldogs’ two-run sixth inning.

The home run was Lynam’s seventh of the year, and the 36th of the season for the Bulldogs, who climbed to fourth on the Illinois High School Association’s single-season, all-time list.

Meanwhile, starting pitcher Nelson improved her record to 7-2 with five solid innings before giving way to junior Katie Coleman in the sixth. Coleman worked a pair of scoreless frames to pick up the save.

Nelson also went 3-for-4 with a double, while Dorjath added a pair of doubles. Senior Lindsay McEachern also had a pair of hits, while sophomore Katie Ryan and freshman Erin Costigan added doubles for the Bulldogs (20-8, 11-7), who finished third in the Upstate Eight Conference River Division behind St. Charles North and Geneva.

Batavia, which closed out its regular season with Saturday’s 12-10 loss to Plainfield Central, begins Class 3A regional tournament action Wednesday afternoon against Lake Park at St. Charles East. The Bulldogs suffered a 4-2 loss to Lake Park earlier in the season.

Batavia began its week with a 13-7 loss to St. Charles East on May 16 before knocking off Larkin 12-0 in five innings on May 17, and defeating Streamwood 9-3 on May 18.

Against St. Charles East, the Bulldogs led 4-3 after four innings before falling apart during the Saints’ nine-run fifth. Senior catcher Rae Anne Payleitner clubbed a pair of home runs for the visiting Saints.

“They hit the ball well,” said Batavia coach Ashley Szymski. “For some reason, we just weren’t ready to play. We were really flat.

“I think we thought it would be easier coming in,” added Szymski, whose team had beaten St. Charles East 10-3 three days earlier. “When you beat a team like that, they’re not going to come and lay over for you.”

Ryan, who hit her team-leading 15th home run of the season against Streamwood, went 3-for-5 with a triple against the Saints (15-14, 8-8).

Costigan was the hitting hero with her three-run home run in the slaughter-rule victory over Larkin.