Bulldogs Bounce Back From First Loss

Katie Ryan doesn’t fancy herself as a power hitter.

She takes a much simpler approach.

“I just try to hit it wherever it’s pitched,” said the sophomore center fielder, who provided plenty of power at the top of the batting order this past week for Batavia’s red-hot softball team.

Ryan, who smacked three home runs in the Bulldogs’ first two games of the week against Neuqua Valley (April 11) and South Elgin (April 12), went 3-for-4 with a double and three RBIs during Batavia’s 9-5 Upstate Eight Conference triumph over Waubonsie Valley April 13 in Batavia.

“This is my first time batting leadoff,” said Ryan, who belted a leadoff home run and added another round-tripper to highlight Batavia’s two-run, seventh-inning rally against Neuqua Valley.

“I know I have to be more careful on the first pitch,” added Ryan. “I just want to see it the first time.”

Ryan, Katie Neubauer, Christine Lynam, Brooke Nelson, Katie Coleman, Lindsey McEachern and Erin Costigan have provided plenty of power for the Bulldogs (9-1, 5-1), who finished with six extra-base hits in the win over Waubonsie Valley.

Ryan doesn’t seem too shocked by her team’s recent power surge.

“I think we’re all capable of hitting for power,” said Ryan. “I can’t say I’m too surprised.”

Bouncing back from their first loss of the season to South Elgin (5-4) one day earlier, the Bulldogs jumped out to an 8-1 lead over Waubonsie Valley after five innings.

In the second, Coleman reached on an infield single and scored on McEachern’s triple. One batter later, Ryan pushed McEachern across with an infield single.

Batavia did most of its damage during a four-run fifth that featured Coleman’s RBI double down the right-field line, Costigan’s run-scoring triple, and Ryan’s RBI single.

Eight of the Bulldogs’ nine starters had base hits off of Waubonsie Valley pitchers Alyssa Garcia and Amy Jablonsky.

“We were hitting it at people right at the beginning (of the game),” said Batavia coach Ashley Szymski. “You wished it didn’t happen but then they found those deep places to hit and the runs started coming.

“We were aggressive, we didn’t get down in the count too often, and we attacked,” she added.

Neubauer upped her record to 4-0 with a complete-game effort that included eight strikeouts and one walk.

“Katie is a control pitcher,” said Szymski. “We don’t give up too many walks, and that’s good to see.”

Batavia, which its weekend tournament at West Aurora cancelled because of rain, returns home Tuesday to face Lake Park before facing Elgin Wednesday in Upstate Eight Conference action.