PFC tops Porters

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PLAINFIELD -- With the 9th street bridge being shutdown, the commute from Lockport to Plainfield will take a lot longer for the next 4 months.

But that's nothing compared to how long Plainfield Central High School softball coach Anne Campbell waited for what happened on Saturday morning.

Try 14 years.

Campbell got rid of a long-time itch on Saturday as the Wildcats edged Lockport 1-0 in an annual nonconference clash.

"Since I've been here, we've never beaten them," said Campbell, who is in her 14th season. "The kids played great and came focused and ready. We've had some close games with them (including a 3-2 loss last year), but never pulled it out until now.

"Anytime you beat a team that you haven't defeated in a long time it's going to really boast your confidence."

The Wildcats (23-2) scored the only run they would need in the first. With one out, pitcher Brittany Adcox hit a shot off the first baseman's glove that went for a double.

"It was just good to get on there," Adcox said. "I was batting sixth or seventh, but recently I moved up in the lineup. I know if I get on Taylor (Tooley) has a good chance to drive me in."

That's exactly what happened as Tooley, a junior second baseman, followed by ripping an RBI double to left.

"I didn't know it was going to be a hit," Tooley said of her shot. "I thought it was going to be a line drive right at her (Lockport left fielder Cassie Walisiak), but it kept going and you need those in a game.

"You don't get that many opportunities to get the big hit so you have to take advantage of it. It's a big win since they just beat Sandburg (3-1 on Friday) and we lost to Sandburg 3-0. So it's huge because now we know we can beat them."

Adcox (14-1) got the victory. She scattered 3 hits, while walking 1 and striking out 3. She faced a one-out jam in the top of the second as the Porters loaded the bases on an error, a pinch hit single by senior Courtney Kutsulis and a walk to junior designated player Amy Pruim.

But the senior righty got out of it with a strikeout and a ground out.

"I just focused on hitting my corners there," Adcox said. "I know we have a strong infield, so I can rely on them."

"I thought Brittany was on," Campbell said. "In the second inning she didn't give in and lose her composure. Us getting out of that inning made the difference in the game."

After the second inning, only two Porter runners reached base. Walisiak on a two-out single to left in the fourth and junior right fielder Brittaney Gonsoulin on a one-out infield single to deep short in the seventh. Neither of them got past first.

Plainfield Central freshman left fielder Krista Fiorini and senior center fielder Felicia Camacho had two-out infield singles in the second and junior third baseman Kali Pasternak added a two-out double to deep left in the sixth for the other Wildcat hit.

Lockport (22-6) couldn't carry its momentum from less than 16 hours earlier when it knocked off the top-ranked team in the Chicago area in Sandburg. After getting the victory on Friday, junior right-hander Allison Shimkus (4-2) took the loss, allowing five hits, walking one and striking out two.

"Anytime you play two good teams back-to-back it's mentally draining," Lockport coach Marissa Chovanec said. "Shimmy (Shimkus) did a really great job again and had a nice rise ball going."

The Porters did get good news as top pitcher, junior right-hander Dana Bowler -- who missed this past week because of a shoulder injury, is expected to return in time for the post season.

The two teams could meet again on May 31 as Plainfield Central is the top seed and the Porters are No. 2 in the Class 4A Bolingbrook Sectional.

"The kids know they're No. 1 and they know who's No 2," said Campbell of the seeds. "We can't concentrate on that, We just have to come out and play."

"Any time you can see a team that you potentially could play again, it's a good thing," Chovanec said.

"You can learn from your loss and have a better idea if you play them again."