Softball: Nazareth

Updated: April 13, 2012 8:54PM

Kayla Morrissey hates getting thrown out by one of her club teammates. Katelyn Cahill was the one doing the throwing.

And so it goes in the annual rivalry between Lyons in La Grange and Nazareth in La Grange Park. The nonconference battle between neighborhood schools pits club teammates against each other. At least six players on both sides of the field are teammates during the offseason with the LT Blazers club team.

Nazareth, which jumped out to an early lead, pulled away for a 6-2 victory at Mayfair Park in Westchester. Winning pitcher Holly Haberkorn (2-for-4, two RBI) scored the game’s first run and doubled later in the game. Colleen McGivney had one of the game’s biggest hits with an RBI triple in the first inning to score Haberkorn. On the play, McGivney scored on an error when the relay throw was dropped after McGivney’s drive to right field.

“It’s fun to see them and get them out,” said Cahill, Nazareth’s shortstop. “I was disappointed [last year] when we didn’t get to play against our friends.”

Cahill threw out Morrissey, Lyons’ third baseman, twice in the game on ground balls after Morrissey walked and scored Lyons’ second run in the third inning. Both Stephanie D’Anna and Morrissey scored Lyons’ only runs on Alyssa Koziol’s two-run single to center field.

Lyons (6-4) trailed 3-2 after the third inning and stranded the tying run at second base in the fifth and sixth innings. Nazareth (6-4) broke the game open with a three-run sixth inning on five hits off reliever Ashley Koziol. Alyssa Koziol suffered the loss after pitching the first four innings.

“It came down to timely hits,” Lyons coach Dawn Schabacker said. “The thing was that we had the opportunity. We didn’t have the timely hits.”

Lyons lost back-to-back games for the first time since suffering a season-opening doubleheader defeat at Riverside-Brookfield March 31. Lyons was coming off a 3-1 defeat at Downers Grove North April 12.

The Roadrunners out hit Lyons 10-3.

“I think we’re doing a good job now of seeing more live pitching. We’re into Game 10,” Nazareth coach Kristen Stojetz said. “We’re putting the ball into play. Hopefully, we’ll hit the ball. If not, we’ll force the defense to work.”

Morrissey, who played for Benet’s JV team last season, was the only Lyons player to compete against a Nazareth team last season, although it was JV. The Burr Ridge resident transferred after her freshman year and became a starter this year for the basketball team and softball team. Morrissey does not regret the transfer although her older brother, Sean, a junior, remains at Benet.

Morrissey was called up the varsity for the postseason, which ended with Benet’s trip to the Class 4A state tournament. But Morrissey didn’t get to play.

With the transfer, Morrissey renewed friendships with her former Pleasantdale Middle School classmates.

“I like LT. It’s a good school. All the girls are really nice,” Morrissey said.

Lyons’ Morrissey, D’Anna, Becky Ryckman and Meghan Klima and Nazareth’s Cahill and Haberkorn all belong to the LT Blazers.

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