Trezzo Homer Helps Mustangs Edge Oswego East

Coaches will often say they prefer stress-free blowouts, but even so, sometimes the wins that require a lot of scratching and clawing can be the most gratifying.

Downers Grove South’s 4-3 defeat of visiting Oswego East in the opener of Saturday’s doubleheader left the Mustangs players and coaches very satisfied.

The Wolves had threatened to hand Downers South pitcher Jennifer Nichols (11-0) her first defeat of the spring after scoring a run in the first inning and adding two more in the second for a 3-0 lead. But Nichols and her defense would not allow another run and the Mustangs’ bats eventually got going against Oswego East starter Morgan Ettinger.

Shortstop Danielle Trezzo delivered the big blow, a 2-run homer over the wall in right center that cut the Wolves lead to 3-2 in the third and shifted the momentum in the favor of the home team.

“It was a 3-2 count so you’re always looking for your pitch right there,” said Trezzo, who also walked and scored the game-tying run in the fifth. “It seemed to be a good pitch to hit so I went for it.”

The 2-run blast also plated Marissa Mersch, who had led off the frame with a walk. Nichols was hurt in the second inning by a wild pitch that scored a run and a dropped third strike that enabled the visitors to score twice after Nichols had already recorded three strikeouts in the inning. But she blanked Oswego East over the final five frames, did not allow a hit after Melissa Griffin’s double in the fourth and finished with a 4-hitter and 9 strikeouts.

“It’s more exciting to have a close game. It makes you work harder,” Nichols said. “The best games are the ones that are really close. You really have to fight and play your best.”

The Mustangs’ (19-5 heading into the nightcap) winning rally in the fifth came after Wolves left-fielder Lindsey Anderson recorded the first out with a sliding catch near the fence in foul territory. But Trezzo walked and came around on Katy LaCivita’s double to center. Emma Topps then followed with a double down that left field line that scored courtesy runner Julianna Tassone with what proved to be the game-winning run.

Ettinger, a sophomore, suffered the hard-luck loss after allowing four runs and six hits in six innings. The Wolves offense was paced by lead-off hitter Michaela Tschida, who singled and scored in the first and also singled home Dana Schwartz in the second after Schwartz reached on a dropped third strike.

Wolves coach Danielle Lee, whose squad dropped to 10-12 with the Game 1 loss, was happy with her team’s defense and overall effort against a highly regarded Mustangs squad. She noticed, however, that Trezzo’s homer seemed to turn the tide a little.

“That home run was the big drive of the game,” she said. “Now it’s 3-2 and we’re feeling a little pressure while they’re getting the momentum. But it was a good game against a good quality opponent.”