Softball: Leyden earns at least share of Gold title with win over Addison Trail

Updated: May 14, 2012 8:26PM

Leyden clinched no worse than a share of the West Suburban Conference Gold Division softball championship Monday with an 8-2 win over visiting Addison Trail

The victory over the Blazers left Leyden with a final 10-2 record in league play (25-7 overall). Downers Grove South entered its game Monday against Morton with an 8-2 league record and a chance to share the conference championship with Leyden. The Mustangs needed to beat Morton Monday and defeat Willowbrook Wednesday to finish with the same 10-2 conference record achieved by Leyden. The Eagles and Mustangs previously shared the title in 2010

Jen Hall (3-for-4, 3 RBI) made things a bit easier for Leyden Monday with a two-run double in the bottom of the first inning that gave the Eagles a 2-0 lead

“That was a big hit for us because getting the lead in the first inning allowed everyone to relax a little,” said Leyden pitcher Morgan Maize, who allowed 3 hits, struck out 8 and didn’t walk anyone. “It takes some of the pressure off when you get ahead early.”

Leyden made it 3-0 in the bottom of the second on a lead-off triple by catcher Dana Sullivan and an RBI-single by Jessica DuBrock. With a 3-2 count, Sullivan added a bases-loaded, two-out triple in the fifth that keyed a four-run inning for the Eagles, who extended their advantage to 7-0.

“I was a little nervous, but I was just looking for a pitch to hit,” Sullivan said. “I knew scoring those additional runs were important because we wanted to extend our lead.”

Leyden added a final run in the bottom of the sixth on back-to-back doubles by Maize and Hall.

Addison Trail entered the top of the seventh with only a second-inning single by Isa Tangorra in the hit column; however, the Blazers used an infield hit by pitcher Crystal Marinelli and another base hit from Tangorra, along with two Leyden errors, to score twice.

“Jen Hall was huge with her bat for us, and Morgan pitched a great game,” Leyden coach Kurt Schuett said.

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