Alyssa Stramaglia probably felt like she pitched the entire doubleheader instead of just the first seven-innings for a 4-2 complete game victory over Madison College April 15 in River Grove.
The Trojans ace right-hander notched her tenth victory of the season the hard way, throwing an astounding 145 pitches (81 strikes) to hold off the No. 19 NJCAA Division II Wolfpack in the opening game of a doubleheader.
Geneva Pollman (South Elgin) wasn't so fortunate in the nightcap, having been knocked out in a seven-run Madison sixth in the visitors' 17-6 win.
Triton now 28-7 is proving its competitiveness against their former N4C conference rivals who they likely may see again come playoff time.
Stramaglia still had plenty of life in her arm, pitching out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth with consecutive strikeouts as her pitch count mounted to 133. She finished with 10 strikeouts while walking five and hitting two. But her swing-and-miss stuff was in evidence with Madison collecting just two hits, one a Katie Joten homer in the seventh.
Crediting her "rise ball" as the most effective pitch, Stramaglia, who reached 100 strikeouts for the season in the victory hadn't endured such a workout in a long time.
"I think maybe in high school," said Stramaglia, a Fenwick High School graduate. "I just kept trying to push myself until the last inning and stay focused."
Despite runners on base constantly and the game in the balance, Trojans head coach
Christina Christopher had no thoughts of relieving Stramaglia.
"Absolutely," said Christopher. "I had full faith in her. That was our game plan."
Stramaglia got just enough offensive support, short and long, to hang on.
Erianna Claudio (De La Salle) had the equivalent of a bunt home run leading off the third. Claudio bunted toward Wolfpack pitcher Casey Fountain. But hurrying to nab Claudio at first, Fountain grounded her throw as the ball rolled into right field. Outfielder Alisia Palms let the ball go by her as Claudio circled the bases. Fountain and Palms were charged with errors.
Moments later,
Katlyn Cherry (Hebron, Ind.), the Trojans' leading hitter at .563, blasted a Fountain pitch through the teeth of the wind in center for her sixth homer in the fourth. Pollman (South Elgin) slugged a two-run homer to left, also against the wind, in the fourth for the final Trojans runs.
"That was great to see," Christopher said of the power defying the elements. "When we're on our hitting, we can dominate."
Triton's hitting picked up where it left off in the second game. Cherry drove in two more runs while
Carissa Bombardiere (Geneva) collected three hits as the Trojans took a 5-4 lead in the sixth. However, the Wolfpack then amassed their seven-run inning, including Joten's second homer of the day, and cruised to the final score.
The Trojans have won 22 of its last 24 games. The only other loss in that period was to Rock Valley College on March 24. The Trojans improved their mark at home to 15-3.
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(Story by tritonathletics.com contributor George Castle)
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