Kit Girls Break Through For First Softball Win

Like most of the other softball players competing for high schools in northern Illinois, Evanston’s girls are still waiting for the first day they can step on a diamond and actually play in spring-like weather conditions.

You know, where you can’t see your own breath.

It didn’t happen Thursday for the first time for the Wildkits. But it was a day of firsts in other ways.

Senior Madi Ball cranked out her first varsity hit --- a home run --- and junior pitcher Jessica Frolichstein earned her first varsity triumph in the circle as the Kits crushed Maine East 24-7 for their first victory of the 2025 campaign.

Evanston treated the chilly 40-degree conditions like an outdoor batting practice, banging out 24 hits in a contest that was halted after four innings by mutual consent. The Wildkits (1-2 overall) battered Maine East pitcher Zoe Kakares for 10 extra base hits, including home runs by Ball and Rosie Witt.

The winners were led by Witt (single, homer, 5 runs-batted-in), Maddie Berry (4-for-5, 4 RBI) and Ball (4-for-4, 4 RBI). Frolichstein surrendered three home runs --- two by East’s huge first baseman, Emma Asien --- but did strike out seven while issuing four walks.

ETHS head coach Amy Gonzales said she didn’t sense any panic in a senior-laden squad that dropped games against Amundsen (13-3) and Niles North (8-2) to open the season. But with inclement weather persisting through the first couple of weeks this month, the Kits couldn’t even be sure they’d get to play any scheduled game.

That made the trip to Park Ridge Thursday worth the wait.

“We had a good offensive day today. It’s always fun when you come out and hit like that,” Gonzales said. “It sucks to try to hit in 38-degree or 40-degree weather or whatever. And you could see them starting to think ‘what more can I do?” when they’ve only had six or four or two at-bats so far. It can be frustrating, but if they’re frustrated it hasn’t carried over to other areas (like defense).

“You always want to have success and continue it. Hopefully we can continue it tomorrow against Whitney Young. We just need to get the bats going more consistently now.”

The visitors jumped on Maine East (2-5 overall) for 10 runs in the first inning and those hot bats never really cooled off. After Witt grounded out and Frolichstein walked to start the game, the Wildkits pounded out six straight hits including doubles by Delila Liston and Berry, an RBI single by Aayna Ghose, Ball’s homer deep over the left field fence, and a double by Julia Schaefer.

Berry, a freshman catcher, doubled home two more runs before East’s Kakares finally retired the side after ETHS sent 14 hitters to the plate in the inning.

Evanston tacked on four more runs in the second inning --- with Witt’s 3-run homer the key blast --- scored one more in the third, and buried the hosts with a 9-run outburst in the fourth before the game was halted.

Maine East, which lost its fourth game in a row, also was charged with seven errors in the lopsided defeat.