North Boone softball opens season with 11-2 win over Durand

POPLAR GROVE, Ill. — It was an opening day symphony at North Boone High School on Tuesday afternoon: the pop of the mitt, the loud and gravely “Strike” call from the umpire, the thump of the bag and the crack of the bats.

Oh, most certainly the crack of the bats as the Vikings’ softball team piled up 11 hits and hammered two home runs to open its season with an 11-2 win over Durand.

“Everybody contributed, one through nine,” North Boone head coach Tim Fleming said. “They just had an aggressive mindset that they were going to go out there and get their swings in. Getting on base, everybody doing their job, it really motivates the next person to do their job and keep getting better.”

Senior Lauren Stefek was the Viking’s first baserunner of the young year after she drew a one-out walk in the bottom of the first and senior Cami Carter followed her up with a single up the middle.

Senior catcher Danielle Goodman stepped up to the plate and, ahead in the count 2-1, blasted a home run to dead center field.

“It was so exciting,” Stefek said. “Just coming off of the bat, everyone knew. It’s such an exciting experience, especially in the first game.”

Carter, an All-State First Team pitcher last season, sent the Bulldogs down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the second before Haven Hahn lined a one-out single in the second. Marlee Alderman reached on an error by the shortstop and Hayden Staver smacked one over the center fielder’s head for a two-run double.

“It’s very important to always come in ready to have a good mindset and always be motivated,” Stefek said of the team’s hot start.

The fiery bats continued when Stefek launched a two-run home run over the center-field fence to make it 7-0 in favor of the Vikings.

“Honestly, I wasn’t thinking about (hitting a homer) at all,” the shortstop said. “I was just trying to get on base, trying to get the score for my team. It was really exciting.”

Durand knocked Carter for her first runs of the season after Rachel Nevdal doubled to right, Audrina Whipple drew a walk and Addison Whipple brought both home on a deep hit double to center field.

Carter got Delaney Wirjes to ground out and get out of the inning, and the starter cruised through the rest of the game as she only allowed a walk and a single though the final four innings.

“I threw a lot of screwballs today,” Carter said. “Almost every single one of my pitches were a screwball. The rise ball did pretty good and I had one beautiful changeup as well.”

Carter threw all seven innings and allowed just two earned runs on three hits while walking three and striking out eight.

“I gave Cami some bad calls in that (third) inning where she gave away a couple hits,” Fleming said. “Other than that, that’s exactly what we expect from her. She just needs to trust her defense, which she does, and everything’s going to be really good.”

A two-run single from Carter in the fourth upped North Boone’s lead to 9-2 and Sydney Goodman put the Vikings in double figures with her RBI groundout in the sixth. Carter, who finished 3-for-4 with two RBI, capped off the scoring with a one-run single afterwards.

Eight different players recorded at least one hit for North Boone. Stefek went 2-for-3 with a walk, two RBI and four runs scored while Staver went 1-for-2 with a walk, two runs and two RBI.

“It makes me super excited to see everyone being able to hit and everyone contributing,” Carter said. “There (almost wasn’t) a single girl who didn’t touch at least a base today, which not only helps our spirits, but it just makes everything so much more fun.”

The Vikings will next host Lake Villa on Saturday at 1 p.m.

• LINESCORE:

NORTH BOONE 11, DURAND 2

Durand 002 000 0 — 2 3 3

NB 340 202 — 11 11 1

Leading hitters: Durand, Nevdal 1x3, 1 Run; Au. Whipple 0x2, 1 Run; Ad. Whipple 1x2, 2 RBI; Sayers 1x3. NB, Staver 1x2, 2 Runs, 2 RBI; S. Goodman 1x4, 1 RBI; Stefek 2x3, 4 Runs, 2 RBI; Carter 3x4, 2 RBI; D. Goodman 1x4, 1 Run, 3 RBI; Johnson 1x3; Hahn 1x3, 1 Run; Alderman 1x3, 2 Runs. 2B: Staver, Whipple, Nevdal. HR: D. Goodman, Stefek.

Pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so): Durand, Wirjes (L) 6.0-11-11-6-2-2. NB, Carter (W) 7.0-3-2-2-3-8.