North Defense Implodes Against Downers South

Danielle Trezzo was in the limelight Tuesday afternoon during the Downers Grove South High School softball game versus visiting .

The three-year starting shortstop was superlative in the field while also going 3-for-4 at the plate, driving in two and scoring an equal number of runs.

Trezzo terminated the non-conference game in the bottom of the fifth inning when she scored on a Katy LaCivita drive against a drawn-in outfield to usher in the slaughter rule.

The Mustangs’ 12-2 victory in Downers Grove enabled the squad to improve to 7-4; Naperville North, whose defense imploded with a four-error third inning, fell to 4-3.

“Everyone has their days,” Trezzo said. “Our bats really came alive today. When a good team makes mistakes, you have to capitalize on them.”

Seven of the Mustangs’ first eight runs were unearned.

Naperville North took a 2-0 lead in the second inning, highlighted by a lead-off home run by Tara Degl'Innocenti.

But Downers South claimed the lead for good in its second at-bat.

Emma Topps’ one-out single was the first of four hits for Downers South in the frame as Trezzo had the first of her run-scoring hits with a double to left center.
A Naperville North throwing error cost the club two runs, and all four runs in the Mustangs’ third inning were unearned.

Alyssa Magallanes’ rocket off the Huskies’ first baseman was the lone hit for the Mustangs, who led 8-2 after three.

“We were error-less—on Monday against St. Charles East—with 16 assists,” Naperville North coach Jerry Kediorza said. “I don’t know what happened (defensively). That’s high school softball. When the wheels fall off the bus, they really fall off the bus. We haven’t been able to put together two solid games back-to-back defensively.”

Downers South starter Jenny Nichols allowed only two hits after the second inning to extend her season-opening winning streak to four games.

“(The home run surrendered) could have been taken out by pretty much half their team,” said Nichols. “Giving up only five hits, I feel pretty good about that.”

Trezzo thwarted the Huskies’ final scoring threat in the fourth inning; the junior, with two runners on, robbed Bella Masini with a back-to-the-infield catch.

“The outfielders were playing really deep,” Trezzo said. “I just ran out there as fast as I could to make the play.”

Chelsea Lavin had her second double for Downers South to begin the Mustangs’ three-run fifth that prompted its truncated finish.

Five consecutive players reached in succession for the Mustangs, and LaCivita went the other way to the base of the right-field wall to extend the cushion to double digits.

“You don’t see too many 1-0 games anymore,” South coach Ron Havelka said.