Holaway's Heroics Lift Falcons to Victory in 12 Innings

If there were any doubts as to whether Rachel Holaway’s left wrist was 100 percent, the Wheaton North second baseman put those doubts to rest Monday afternoon during the Falcons’ 4-1 triumph over inter-city and DVC rival Wheaton Warrenville South.

Holaway, who underwent surgery last November—and again in January—to repair a broken bone in her wrist, broke a 1-1 tie in the top of the 12th inning against with a three-run homer.

Kahla Nolan went the distance on the mound for the Falcons. She pitched a one-two-three bottom of the 12th to pick up the victory and keep Wheaton North’s DVC record spotless at 2-0. The Falcons are 8-4 overall.

Wheaton North coach said afterward that she didn’t think Holaway’s ball had home-run distance.

“I just thought it was a nice hard hit deep,” she said, “but when it went over, needless to say it was a nice surprise.”

Holaway, though, believed it might go when she connected.

“When I hit it, it was like, ‘Aw dude, this is right in my sweet spot.’ ” said Holaway, who'll continue her softball career at Olivet Nazarene University. “I knew it was going to go far. I didn’t know it was all the way over (the fence) and then I looked over when I rounded first, and I was like, ‘Yes, thank you.’ ”

Holaway injured her wrist last June and had it X-rayed, but no break was detected. Unaware her wrist was broken, she ended up playing all of last summer, as well as the fall season, with the injury for the 18U Bartlett Silver Hawks, her travel league team.

However, she continued to experience pain so she had the wrist checked again. This time, the break was clearly visible. Doctors gave Holaway the OK to play just before the season started.

“We didn’t have her hit at all the first two weeks of the season,” Calabrese said. “She did light tee work not even with a regular bat, like with a Whiffle bat. She kind of worked her way in, and boy did she come up with a big hit today.”

Natalie Leahy, serving as the Falcons’ designated player on Monday, led off the 12th with a single. She motored to third when shortstop laced a double to left-center. Holaway, who finished 3-for-6 at the plate, then planted a 1-0 pitch over the right-center field fence.

The home run turned out to be the first surrendered by WWS pitcher this season. Prior to the 12th, Granger was equally as effective as her Wheaton North pitching counterpart.

Granger (9-6), who also went the distance, threw 169 pitches and struck out seven.

“She’s taken a lot of pride in that, and it’s unfortunate,” said WWS coach Denise McCance. “Someone’s got to win, but I thought we had our chances, and our top four hitters, we had home many hits out of there? We have to hit better.”

The Tigers, who’ve been averaging between seven and eight runs per game, saw their top four hitters go a combined 3-for-18 on the day. Two of those three hits came off the bat of leadoff hitter , who doubled and singled. Skurla was the only WWS player who had a multi-hit game for the Tigers.

After Leahy scored the game’s first run for the Falcons on an infield error in the first inning, the Tigers answered during their half of the inning. Skurla led off with a single, and also ended up scoring on an infield error.

Who’d have thought that would be the only scoring until the 12th inning?

“Wheaton South has been putting up runs like there’s no tomorrow,” Calabrese said of the Tigers, who scored 17 runs off a formidable Downers South club in a double-header split on Saturday. “It was a well-played game and I hope that our girls use it to see the kind of team that they are and just get better with every game.”

Nolan (6-2 on the year) faced one batter over the minimum from the fourth inning on. She threw 141 pitches.

She’s doing much better hitting her spots, changing her speeds, getting movement on the ball and staying mentally tough,” Calabrese said.

The Falcons visit West Chicago in a makeup game on Tuesday, while the Tigers (13-9, 1-2) also will be playing a makeup game, hosting Glenbard East.

“We had been hitting so well, so to score one run is pretty disappointing,” McCance said. “They (Wheaton North) played a good game; they deserved to win. They definitely came through and we didn’t.”

doubled twice for the Falcons, and Leahy had two singles.