Sports
One Wild, Wacky, Windy Day for Softball at Plainfield Central
Wildcats, Tigers combine for state-record-tying eight home runs.
A home run derby ended with a wacky defensive play during Plainfield Central’s 26-10 Southwest Prairie Conference softball victory Tuesday over Plainfield North.
Carly Trenhaile’s unassisted double play in the top of the fifth inning ended a wild and windy tilt between the Plainfield School District 202 rivals.
The game, played with 20 to 30 mph winds blowing out, featured 42 hits, eight of them home runs. The eight long balls ties an Illinois High School Association state record.
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Trenhaile and Olivia Scott each belted a pair of home runs for Plainfield Central, which ran its records to 14-6 overall and 5-1 in the SPC. Plainfield North fell to 4-12, 2-5.
“It was exciting because this wind and this game were crazy,” Trenhaile said.
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“I was happy for Carly Trenhaile because she’s had two balls hit the top of the fence and come back in,” Plainfield Central coach Anne Campbell said. “One was last year and one was this year. It was great to see her finally pick up two today. She’s been hitting the ball well for us.”
“I’ve been waiting for those for so long,” Trenhaile said. “It feels good, and it feels good to see the other girls hitting a few of them.”
Karly Jackson and Kaleigh Nagle also homered for Plainfield Central.
Plainfield Central led 13-10 heading into the bottom of the fourth inning.
Three of its six home runs came in the frame as the Wildcats doubled their run total heading into the fifth. The Wildcats’ six home runs is tied for eighth in state history.
“They hit the ball real well,” Campbell said. “A couple of things I liked were we were a lot more vocal in the dugout, we were excited, pumped up and we were a little more competitive than we’ve been.”
In the top of the fifth, Plainfield North put a runner on second with one out.
A pop fly to the right side kept carrying. Second baseman Rachel Egly got a glove on the ball, but could not squeeze it.
Trenhaile was backing up and caught it before it hit the turf, starting a game-ending, unassisted double play.
“I was in the right place at the right time,” Trenhaile said. “I didn’t want to call her off because she looked like she was going to catch it. I didn’t know if I could get there. I always back her up and I got it.”
Taylor Weck and Kelly Kennedy belted home runs for the Tigers.
