Softball: Libertyville gets first win on new field

Updated: April 12, 2012 9:40PM

Nine games into the season, and Libertyville’s softball team has finally gotten to celebrate a victory on its new home field.

Thursday’s 9-4 thumping of Antioch was the Wildcats’ first on the new diamond, located in front of the school.

(A mammoth home run over the left-field fence could hit Route 176 and, in fact, Antioch’s Katie Phillips homered in that direction on Thursday, but the ball didn’t make the highway.)

Sophomore Tayler Oberman was 3-for-4 with three RBI and three runs scored to lead Libertyville’s attack.

It was her first game hitting third instead of leading off, as second-year coach Elissa Wisniewski shook up a lineup that had produced just one win in eight games.

“This was a big win for us. We did a great job defensively,” said Wisniewski, an ace pitcher back in the day at Stevenson High School. “And the bats came around for us today.”

In the circle for Libertyville were Haley Alban (five innings, four runs, three punchouts), and Emilie Teitz (two innings, no hits, walk).

“Haley did a great job starting and Emilie did an awesome job closing out the game for us,” Wisniewski said.

Wisniewski is thrilled with the new playing facility, as the old one was a hidden non-gem way back and behind the school.

“The school did a great job with the field, including the bleachers and the dugouts,” Wisniewski said. “We’re very grateful we have such a great place to play.”

In the other dugout, Anthony Rocco saw his team fall to 7-7 on the season.

Other than Phillips’ three-run homer, there were few Sequoit highlights.

“I was happy with the way we played. We did the right things defensively,” he said.

The coach took the blame for Libertyville’s offensive explosion, saying he did a poor job calling pitches for his hurler, Phillips.

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