ORLANDO, Fla. - Senior Natalie Dillon pitched a five-hit shutout and struck out a career-high 15 batters to lead the Monroe High School softball team to a season-opening 3-0 win over Grayslake North (Ill.) at the ESPN Sports Complex on Wednesday.
"Natalie Dillon had an outstanding performance," Monroe coach Dale Buvid said. "She did a great job getting her second, third and fourth pitches over. It was a generous strike zone by the umpire for both pitchers. It was a pitcher's type of game. The umpire was giving pitches on the edges. Fifteen strikeouts and no walks. You will take that any day. When she gets those second, third and fourth pitchers over it makes it tough on the hitters."
The Cheesemakers struck first in the second inning. Monroe senior Hannah Vetterli singled to right field in the second. Senior Cassidy Pivonka delivered an RBI double to right center to give the Cheesemakers a 1-0 lead.
"We did just enough on offense to get the win," Buvid said.
The Cheesemakers tacked on two more runs in the third. Dillon singled to center. Senior Brooke Adams reached on an infield single. Junior Carly Upmann knocked in a run with an infield single. Senior Kylea Ambrose then drove in Adams with a sacrifice fly.
Grayslake North had a golden scoring opportunity in the fifth, but Vetterli caught a pop-up in foul territory to squelch the threat.
"We didn't have to make a lot of plays defensively because Natalie was that sharp," Buvid said. "We beat a solid team that is a large school of about 1,600."
"Natalie Dillon had an outstanding performance," Monroe coach Dale Buvid said. "She did a great job getting her second, third and fourth pitches over. It was a generous strike zone by the umpire for both pitchers. It was a pitcher's type of game. The umpire was giving pitches on the edges. Fifteen strikeouts and no walks. You will take that any day. When she gets those second, third and fourth pitchers over it makes it tough on the hitters."
The Cheesemakers struck first in the second inning. Monroe senior Hannah Vetterli singled to right field in the second. Senior Cassidy Pivonka delivered an RBI double to right center to give the Cheesemakers a 1-0 lead.
"We did just enough on offense to get the win," Buvid said.
The Cheesemakers tacked on two more runs in the third. Dillon singled to center. Senior Brooke Adams reached on an infield single. Junior Carly Upmann knocked in a run with an infield single. Senior Kylea Ambrose then drove in Adams with a sacrifice fly.
Grayslake North had a golden scoring opportunity in the fifth, but Vetterli caught a pop-up in foul territory to squelch the threat.
"We didn't have to make a lot of plays defensively because Natalie was that sharp," Buvid said. "We beat a solid team that is a large school of about 1,600."
