Efficient and overpowering.
Those are two words that often described Serafina Goodwill’s pitching as a freshman for Evanston’s softball team during the 2021 season.
Much has changed for the hard-throwing right-hander since then, but after missing her entire sophomore season due to knee surgery, Goodwill is back on the comeback trail.
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She earned her first complete game victory in two years Tuesday as the Wildkits broke through to score their first Central Suburban League South division triumph and handled arch-rival New Trier by a 9-1 margin.
Efficient and overpowering — ask New Trier’s hitters and they’d agree that was an apt description Tuesday. Goodwill struck out 11, including 7 of the first 9 hitters she faced, and was perfect through the first 4 innings. She wound up tossing a neat 6-hitter, 4 of those hits of the infield variety.
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Evanston (4-8 overall, 1-3 CSL South) followed up a slaughter rule win over Chicago Amundsen on Monday by rapping 9 hits against the Trevians, including a 3-for-4 effort from sophomore outfielder Rosie Witt. A total of 6 different players drove in runs for the winners.
Goodwill can be a game-changer for the Kits in the circle, but only if she stays healthy. She had to be removed after one inning in last week’s loss to Glenbrook South because her knee bothered her, but she’s discarded the brace she was using for support and only faltered slightly in the late innings Tuesday.
She’s missed time with a quad strain and Tuesday’s game marked just her fourth appearance in the circle for an ETHS squad that needs its ace at 100 percent to turn the season around.
Goodwill’s getting there, according to head coach Amy Gonzales.
“Serafina did a very good job today, and we needed this conference win,” said the coach. “She got ahead of the hitters and she was very efficient early on in the game. She did everything she needed to do out there.
“I think today was a big step for her. She looked very comfortable, hitting her spots and she kept her composure, too. Hopefully now she’ll feel even more comfortable and more confident out there.
“This is a win that can give us a little more momentum now for the second half of the conference (season). We can still have an impact and be successful in the conference race.”
Goodwill and New Trier’s Emilia Orta were locked up in a scoreless pitching duel until the feisty Witt triggered a 3-run uprising by the hosts in the bottom of the 4th inning. Witt launched a double to right center, and one-out walks to Goodwill and Sophie Berger-White filled the bases.
Aayna Ghose’s single up the middle plated Witt, Kenna Brokowski drove in a run with a sacrifice fly, and Berger-White scored on a wild pitch before Orta finally retired the side.
Evanston broke the game open in the 5th, sending 11 hitters to the plate. The rally started with a bunt single from the No. 9 hitter in the order, senior Kelsey Blickenstaff, and she also delivered a 2-run fly ball single when she batted again in the same frame.
Delila Liston hammered a bases-loaded double as the big blow in the inning and Berger-White also contributed an RBI single before the damage was done.
New Trier pushed across its only run in the top of the 5th. A walk to Trinity Andelin spoiled Goodwill’s perfect game to that point, and infield hits by Kyra Powell and Harper Glinn loaded the bases.
One out later, Goodwill hit Orta with an inside fastball to force in a run before fanning Annie Ieuter on four pitches to end the inning.
