Softball: Tinley Park bats blast Oak Forest

Updated: May 10, 2012 8:17PM

Tinley Park has pulled off a few come-from-behind victories during the 2012 season. But none was as sweet for senior Amber Buss than Thursday’s 12-5 South Suburban Blue conquest of Oak Forest.

“This one meant a lot,” Buss said. “In my four years of being here we’ve lost to them seven times. We didn’t want it to happen again.

“This is the best win we’ve had all season — all four years combined, actually.”

Buss smashed a two-run homer and reached base all four times, while Cosette Tomita added two roundtrippers and Sam Alberto and Alyssa Williams one each as Tinley Park improved to 19-9, 13-4.

Calie Delisi had three hits and Ashley Benninger and Jourdan Skirha two each for Oak Forest (18-11, 15-3).

Tinley Park was eliminated from South Suburban Blue title contention in a loss on Monday to Lemont. Oak Forest has a chance to tie Lemont for the division crown when the two teams meet on May 17.

The Bengals built a 5-1 lead through 3 ½ innings, the big blows an RBI single by Kylie Powers, an RBI double by Skirha and a two-run single by Delisi.

Tomita drew the Titans within 5-2 in the bottom of the fourth with a towering drive that tipped off of the glove of Bengals center fielder Gianna Kuras and dropped over the fence.

Alyssa Gunther kicked them into serious comeback mode in the bottom of the fifth with a leadoff bunt single. Liz Brezenski followed with a base hit, after which a defensive misplay by Oak Forest set the stage for three consecutive walks by Bengals starter Emily Larsen.

Larsen was replaced by Corrina Boersma, who was greeted by a two-run single by Danielle Graca that put the Titans in front 6-5.

“When I was up to bat nothing was on my mind except I needed to hit it,” she said. “I wanted to win so badly.”

Boersma got the Titans leadoff hitter in the sixth, but was knocked out via a double by Brezenski and back-to-back home runs by Buss and Alberto. Larsen went back in and hit Maranda Stroz with a pitch, after which Tomita and Williams both went yard.

Sarah Gillespie, meanwhile, came on in relief of Tomita in the circle in the fourth inning, and stranded seven Bengals en route to the pitching victory.

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