Softball: Zion-Benton sweeps Stevenson
Stevenson's Morgan Manka (20) doesn't make it to third before the tag by Zion-Benton's Ashley Parkkonen. | Michelle LaVigne~Sun-Times Media
Updated: April 24, 2012 9:43PM
Zion-Benton rallied from a 5-0 deficit to stun host Stevenson 7-5 on Tuesday and sweep a huge North Suburban Conference Lake Division doubleheader.
The Bees won the opener 5-4 in eight innings in a game that had been suspended at 4-4 after seven frames earlier this month.
In the eighth, Zion batted last and Brianna Urban and Cidney Garces both walked to start the rally. The runners moved up on an infield out, and Carson Manning’s grounder to third was booted as Urban scored the winning run.
In Game 2, Stevenson led 5-0 after three frames and knocked out Z-B ace Nika May.
However, freshman Kyra Lenzi, who had won exactly one game all season, took to the circle and shut the Patriots down after the third inning.
Zion then scored two in the fourth, four in the fifth and one in the sixth to win it.
The key hit in the fourth was a two-run double by freshman Amara Leith.
Zion is now 6-1 in the division and 14-4 overall. Stevenson is 3-4 in the division and out of the title picture.
“We needed to have these two wins, and I’m happy we got out of here with them,” said Zee-Bee coach Rick Rymer.
The coach praised the mound mastery of Lenzi, who bailed her teammates out.
“She did a really nice job in relief of Nika,” said Rymer. “I’m really proud of her performance tonight.
“We got timely hitting today and the girls showed a lot of resilience coming back.”
Zion now controls its own destiny in the division race, as it tries to end Lake Zurich’s three-year stranglehold on the title.
The Bees and Bears still have a game to play.
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