A day earlier, she might have considered going swimming.
That was the last thing that seemed to be on Brooke Wyderski’s mind Thursday as she briskly rubbed her arms in the outfield following Marist’s 11-8 victory over visiting Mother McAuley.
“Oooooh, it’s cold!” she said.
She should have used her bat. That was plenty hot.
Wyderski drove in seven of the RedHawks’ 11 runs with two three-run home runs and an RBI single. Her second blast came with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning and took the starch out of a remarkable seven-run, game-tying rally by the Mighty Macs in the top of the frame.
Madison Naujokas, Haley Richy, Julie Trellicoso and Kaitlin Kenny contributed two hits each for the RedHawks (12-7). Emily Powers was 3-for-4 and Meg Bush hit a home run for Mother McAuley (13-3).
Wyderski’s homers were her sixth and seventh of the season, but none have been as critical as the one she hit off of McAuley reliever Dara Sanders in the fifth, driving home Angela Sorrentino (single) and Erica Nagel (single).
“My intention was just to hit the ball,” Wyderski said. “I was just looking for that pitch. And she pitched my pitch.
“This was awesome. We all hit a lot today.”
Indeed, Marist as a team pounded out 15 hits in six innings. For awhile, the game looked headed for slaughter-rule status as the RedHawks scored one run in the second, three in the third and fourth in the fourth.
Marist starter Audra Hecker, meanwhile, allowed just one run through four innings, that coming on a towering home run over the fence in right field by Bush.
With the score 8-1, RedHawks coach Denise Bromberek pulled Hecker and sent sophomore Zariya Gonzalez to the circle.
Gonzalez was one out away from a scoreless inning when Emily Rux smashed a two-run double. Alex Brown followed with an RBI single.
Hecker was then brought back into the game and allowed four consecutive singles by Bush, Emily Powers, Taylor Moore and Cassey Bilek. Bilek carried the lead run at second base when Wyderski made a spectacular stab on a smash into the hole at short and threw out Bri Gyrion to finally end the inning.
After that, Hecker was sterling again, retiring six of the final seven Mighty Macs faced.
“I stayed warm, so there were no excuses,” Hecker said of her rocky return. “They were just hitting the ball. Then I just started hitting spots, and I knew my defense would have my back. It helps.”
