Softball: Maggie Remus, St Francis blank Montini

Updated: May 2, 2012 7:53PM

This time St. Francis made sure that Montini slugger Sara Ross wouldn’t be in a position to hit a walk-off home run, like she did in the first Suburban Christian Conference matchup on April 13.

The Spartans vaulted past the Broncos with a seven-run first en route to a 12-0 five-inning victory. With four games left in conference, the Spartans (21-2, 11-1) hold a commanding two-game lead over the Broncos (13-10, 9-3).

“I’ve never had a first inning like that,” St. Francis coach Ralph Remus said. “Last time we played them we did not hit that pitcher (Lauren Trojnar) that hard. That’s the way we have been the last ten days.

“It’s taken all year to convince the kids that the first strike has to be your favorite.”

After Maggie Remus retired the Broncos in order in the top of the first, the Spartans connected on five consecutive hits to start their half of the inning. Eleven batters and seven hits later they led 7-0 against Trojnar (10-5), who was relieved in the middle of the third inning by Emily Barg.

Meanwhile, Remus (17-1) retired the first 10 hitters she faced before Alex Dewey stroked a double and was thrown out trying to stretch it to a triple.

That would be the only hit Remus would give up. She faced 17 batters, just two shy of the minimum. The Spartans added five more in the third, highlighted by a two-run home run by Alyssa Fernandez, her third of the year.

“We talked before the game how this was one of the biggest games of the season,” Fernandez said. “We just came out hot.

“I struck out my previous at bat and I had to pick myself up, and I hit it and it felt awesome.”

Fernandez finished 2-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored. Aly Germanos and Catherine Fitzgerald had three hits each for the Spartans. Germanos, the leadoff hitter, had two doubles and three RBI. Blaine Carragher added two hits, including a double. The Spartans had six extra base hits on the day.

“They came out hitting and that isn’t the same team we played a couple of weeks ago,” Montini coach Richie Costante said.

© 2013 Sun-Times Media, LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be copied or distributed without permission. For more information about reprints and permissions, visit www.suntimesreprints.com. To order a reprint of this article, click here.