EVANSTON — The Evanston softball team scored 28 runs over two games to sweep a doubleheader at home Saturday against Regina. The Wildkits won the first game 14-8 and they beat the Panthers 14-4 in six innings in the second game.
In the two games, Wildkits junior first baseman Emma Maxwell reached base all eight times she came to the plate, going 5-for-6 (including a walk, a hit-by-pitch and a dropped third strike) with eight RBI.
“Going into today we talked about being aggressive at the plate, and that was my main mentality,” Maxwell said.
Senior center fielder Allie Nortz scored seven runs total with a triple and three singles. Sophomore catcher Maddy Managlia hit three singles and scored four runs. The Wildkits reached base 33 times in the games by way of a hit, walk or error.
“It was beautiful,” Evanston coach Luella Gesky said. “I don’t think a single batter didn’t see the bases at least once.”
The first game was a wild one. Evanston opened up a 7-2 lead after two innings but Regina scored the next six runs for an 8-7 lead. In the bottom of the fourth, the Wildkits batted around and scored four runs with the final run coming on an infield single by freshman Zoe Kuntzer. The Wildkits scored three in the fifth, including a two-run single by Maxwell.
Regina started the second game with three runs in the first inning, but Evanston scored one in the second and seven in the third. Nortz hit an RBI triple and junior Jessica Garcia hit a two-run single. Maxwell hit a three-run inside-the-park home run in the fourth, and two innings later Evanston scored twice to 10-run-rule Regina.
Pitchers Garcia and Kuntzer each got complete-game wins for Evanston. Regina sophomore Karlyn Manley hit a home run in the first game, and senior Niki Richards hit two doubles and scored three runs over the two games.
