(Palos Hills, IL) – Led by slugging shortstop Emily Hurst, Waubonsee Community College's softball team has been on a hot streak as of late. The Chiefs improved to 18-8 overall and 6-0 in the Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference (ISCC) after trouncing Moraine Valley Community College twice on Monday afternoon by scores of 12-2 and 12-4. Hurst, who is currently the leading hitter in the nation among all NJCAA Division II players with a .640 batting average, helped spark Waubonsee's sweep of the Cyclones by going 5 for 7 with five runs batted in and five runs scored in the doubleheader. In the process the Chiefs secured their 11th win in their last 12 games and took control of first place in the ISCC standings one game ahead of Morton College (5-1).
Sparked by a double and a home run by Hurst in her first two plate appearances, the Chiefs held a 4-2 lead in the opener. Waubonsee then erupted for eight runs in the fifth inning to put the 8-runs after five innings slaughter-rule into effect. Taylor Hamaker led off the frame with a ground ball single to center field before Sarah Sandusky drew a one-out walk. Chelsea Born then ripped a pinch-hit double to center to drive in Hamaker. A sacrifice fly to center field by Ashlynn Avenarius then brought Sandusky home with the second run of the inning. However, the Chiefs were far from done as Hurst followed with a triple to right center as Born easily scored. And when the relay throw by the Cyclones was mishandled, Hurst rambled in to score to suddenly make it 8-2.
Katie Baker then reached on another error and Taylor Warren kept things going with a single to center. Kayla Tranter followed with a double to right center field to drive in Baker. Four pitches later Dyani Rivera also reached on an error, the third of the inning by Moraine Valley, which allowed both Warren and Tranter to cross home plate. Hamaker then closed out the scoring by smacked a double to the gap in right center to knock in Rivera. Warren retired the side in order in the bottom of the inning to end the game by the mercy rule. The right-handed hurler struck out nine, walked one and allowed just one earned run over five innings of work to collect her 11th win of the spring.
The Chiefs bats remained hot in game two as they registered 15 hits, including seven for extra bases. Moraine Valley led 4-2 heading into the bottom of the fourth before Waubonsee scored five times to take the lead. The Chiefs utilized a walk, two errors by the Cyclones and a single by Ariana Ikis to get one run in. Hurst then stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and delivered a two-run double to center field to put Waubonsee ahead 5-4. A groundout by Baker scored another run before Felicity Allgood drove in Hurst with a two-out, two-strike single to right field.
The Chiefs then tacked on three more runs the following inning highlighted by a two-run triple to right center field by Ikis to put the game out of reach. The eight-run after five innings slaughter-rule went into effect again when Waubonsee pushed across two more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Tranter led off with a double down the left field line, then stole third base and scored a moment later when Allgood singled to center. After a flyout, Allgood stole second and then came home with the game-ending run when Hamaker singled to right center.
Hamaker led the offense by going 3 for 4 with a double and three runs scored. The freshman from Oswego also earned the win in the pitching circle with two scoreless innings in relief of Valerie Osthoff. Tranter, Allgood and Ikis all finished with two hits apiece, while Hurst ripped a pair of doubles and drove in three runs. Through 26 games the freshman is also leading all NJCAA Division II players with a .673 on-base percentage, is third in slugging percentage at 1.360 and is among the leaders nationally in total hits and runs scored. Hurst currently is on a 19-game hitting streak and has 20 multi-hit games already this season.
Coach Joe Spitzzeri's crew is scheduled to be in action again tomorrow, Wednesday, April 12 when they travel to South Suburban College to take on the Bulldogs in a doubleheader beginning at 3:00 p.m. Waubonsee's next home games are slated for this coming Saturday, April 15 when they welcome the Wolfpack of Madison (WI) College to Sugar Grove. First pitch of that twinbill is set for noon.