NCHS softball machine motors to 14-0 start

Sunday, April 27, 2008                By Randy Sharer
 

NORMAL — No large-school state softball champion has repeated since South Holland Thornwood in 1991.  Is it possible Normal Community -- which improved to 14-0 after 4-0 and 12-9 wins over Urbana Saturday -- could back up last year’s Class AA crown with a Class 4A title?

“I think so,” said Urbana coach Angie Wooten, “especially with their batting. They have an aggressive offense. They hit hard.”  No one hit harder Saturday than Dani Bentley, who drilled a three-run homer to left in the first inning of the first game, giving her an NCHS record five career homers. She had been tied with Katie Bradley and Shanna Diller.  “She’s been hot this year,” said NCHS coach Bob Grimes, whose team improved to 5-0 in the Big 12 Conference. “When she makes contact, it seems to go.”  Bentley’s blast appeared to be going into the gap for a double, but it just kept rising until it was gone, giving her four on the season.  “I don’t try to get a home run,” said the senior leftfielder. “I just try to get a hit to get on base. Sometimes it just goes over the fence.”

It was a welcome sight to sophomore ace Megan Nonnemacher (9-0), who fanned 10, walked two and allowed two hits before giving way to Lindsay Stotler in the sixth.  “Dani has been so good this year,” Nonnemacher said. “I love it because then I have a little breathing room to relax a little bit.”  Nonnemacher was searching for something positive.  “Today was not my best day,” she admitted. “I hurt my shoulder in the first inning, but it was much better after that.”  Grimes didn’t realize Nonnemacher was hurt until after the twin bill.  He only took her out to get Stotler more work. Stotler pitched the first four innings of the nightcap, allowing six hits and seven runs, six of which were earned.  Reliever Bailey Franklin (2-0) got the win as NCHS improved to 14-0 for the first time according to Pantagraph files dating back to 1989.

NCHS overcame a 5-3 deficit with a six-run third featuring a two-run single by Lindsey Crawford. Allie Wylder had two doubles to finish with three runs batted in. 
Urbana (4-12, 1-3) tallied a pair of runs in the fourth and fifth to tie it at 9-9, but three consecutive doubles by Kaity Crane, Lauren Kao and Katie Lutes powered a three-run fifth for the Ironmen.  “Urbana is a lot better than they’ve been in the past,” Grimes said. “That was not the typical Urbana team.”  Urbana’s nine runs are the most NCHS has allowed this season, but the rocky outing didn’t rattle Grimes.  “We ended up winning and everybody got to play and we saw some good things from kids who don’t normally get to play,” he said.

NCHS has won 22 straight dating back to the end of last year’s 32-7 state title campaign.  “Coming into this year, I knew we had a lot of veteran players from last year with the seven seniors so I was hoping our defense and offense would help us out,” Grimes said, “but they have surpassed my wildest dreams.”