Weather Not Dampening Softball Spirits

Barrington softball is once again going to have to put off its winning streak.

With an unexpected record setting snowfall April 18, Barrington softball had to cancel another game, forcing the team to wait once again to build on its four-game streak.  

“The team is handling the elements well,” Barrington’s coach Perry Peterson said. “But they are looking forward to sunny skies again.”

Clear skies will indicate a chance for Barrington to do something it hasn’t done for a while: take the field against an opponent.

Barrington (11-3, 2-0) last took the field and beat conference crossover foe Prospect last Wednesday 7-4. 

The victory was in small part due to a homerun and two runs batted in by senior outfielder Elizabeth Owen and two more r.b.i. chipped in from junior Jordan Wekony.   

But unfortunately, Barrington hasn’t been able to capitalize on their building momentum and four-game win streak because Friday’s competition against Hersey and then Monday’s versus Palatine was canceled.

“We try to schedule, and play, as many games as possible during the early part of the season.” Peterson said. “This way, when the weather turns poor like it currently is, the backup of conference games is not overwhelming.”

The Fillies will host MSL West divisional opponent Conant on Wednesday at 4:45 p.m. which begins a stretch of important conference games for Barrington who will play five of their next six games inside their division. 

Barrington is hoping that the newfound time off won’t mean some rust in their hitting.

Leading the way for the Fillies offense is the spark at the top of the lineup, fourth year varsity speedster and infielder Colleen Shandley. Shandley’s 20 hits this season has not only added to her already ballooning school record of 190, but has meant she has been setting the table nicely for the meat of the lineup.

Helping to make sure Shandley’s efforts on the base pads have not been wasted are senior infielder Kiersten Tinkoff, and sophomore Loren Krzysko. 

Tinkoff has been a consistent year-long contributor with her.395 average (17 hits on the young season) while Krzysko has brought the lumber. The second-year varsity player has already recorded five homeruns and is averaging more than an RBI a game (18 RBI) with a solid .378 average.

Krzysko hasn’t just been helping out with the bat, but has also been winning with the arm too. A pitcher as well, this multitalented player has yet to allow an earned run this season while posted to a 2-1 record. Krzysko has been averaging more than a strikeout per inning (13 k’s in 91/3 innings).

But doing the most damage from the pitcher’s circle has been third year varsity player Kiley Dolezal. Dolezal has an impressive 5 to 1 strikeout to walk ratio (53K’s, and nine-base on balls in 58 2/3 innings) which has kept her e.r.a. at an impressive 2.51 while earning her a 9-1 record so far this season.

The Fillies are off to a great start to the year and hopefully when the action resumes there will be no ill effects from the time off. 

If the team is able to comeback just as strong as their record and win streak indicates, especially during their stretch of MSL play, then the Fillies should be able to remain atop the division as they begin to wind down the season later next month.