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Softball season underway for Lady Indians
By Christopher Johnson
during their game in Byron on Thursday, March 17, 2022. Byron won the game 9-3.
The time span between the close of the winter games and the beginning of spring play was a little shorter for some athletes at Pecatonica High School.
That’s because of the success this year’s Lady Indians girls’ basketball team achieved on the court, claiming the school’s second Regional Title.
Athletes from one sports season often choose to occupy their off-season time with inclusion in different seasonal options.
On fairly regular occasion, some members of the girls volleyball teams jumps into basketball play when indoor games are required.
Following second season options and with a handful of potential seasonal matches to choose from, some of the earlier volleyballers and basketball players jump into track and field, soccer or softball.
This past week the varsity girl’s softball season opened for the Pecatonica Lady Indians and unfortunately, things didn’t turn out as well as the team had hoped.
On Thursday, March 17, Pecatonica traveled to face Big Northern powerhouse Byron in the season premiere.
The Lady Tigers are a perennial challenger for the Big Northern crown and gave the Lady Indians an immediate look at the talent that will be waiting for them during the 2022 spring sports season.
The host Lady Tigers wasted little time showing the pop that will help guide them to the front of the pack in the neighboring mid-school conference.
As the rotation worked towards completion in the first inning, Byron had put four runs on the board.
Pecatonica came to the plate at the top of the second hoping to cut into the immediate deficit, but discovered they would not be able to get any base-haulers crossing many plated barriers
Byron batting in the bottom of the frame determined it would do what was required to help facilitate the day’s action.
The Lady Tigers scored nine runs in the second inning and began looking at getting to the fifth and collect the ten-run win.
The third inning proved to be fruitless for Pecatonica as the Lady Indians again struggled to get the manufacturing aspect on track in the season opener.
As the Lady Tigers batted in the home third, another shot of offense soon appeared.
Runner after runner got on base, got moved along and found their way pushing the stretch and crossing the plate.
By the time the fourth opened, Byron was leading the Thursday game by a 19-0 margin. An even shorter, innings-related, closing path grew into realization.
The Lady Indians efforts found ways to be exponentially more effective in the visitor’s fourth. Pecatonica began taking what was offered and, as a result, putting points on the board.
With an innings-shortened rule facing Pecatonica down, the Lady Indians sent five runners home, helping to guide the final score to its 19-5 finding.
Pecatonica dropped to 0-1 on the young season and moved into a busy opening week of play as they prepared for the Friday, March 18 home opener against the Lady Hawks of Kirkland Hiawatha.
On Monday, March 21 Pecatonica and Polo faced off for an NUIC-crossover match and a day later, Amboy traveled north for the showdown in Pecatonica.
Wednesday, March 23, Milledgevile plays host to Pecatonica with games against South Beloit and River Ridge/Scales Mound, scheduled for Friday, March 25, helping to round down the first month of the 2022 spring season.
