Comets win five more over next five days
By Kevin Cunningham
Correspondent
Delavan-Darien High School’s softball team made it to a regional final a year ago and this season, the team hasn’t let up. The Comets played their first game of the season as part of a double-header after the first scheduled game was postponed because of weather.
The team hit the road and faced Clinton in the double-header for its first action of the season and won the two games by a combined score of 29-4. In the Comets’ first game of the season, Jennah Speth, a future University of Illinois-Chicago pitcher, led the way on the mound.
The senior, who signed with the Division I school to play softball over the offseason, allowed one hit over her seven innings pitched and struck out 19 batters throughout the game. The final score of the first game was 10-0.
In the second game of the double-header, the Comets scored 12 runs in the bottom of the first inning and held that lead throughout. The third inning saw Clinton score four runs, but the Comets answered back with three of their own.
Four more runs were tacked on in the bottom of the fourth inning, leading to the 19-4 win. Morgyn DeLara went 4-for-4 at the plate, totaling four RBIs in the process. Hunter Huber finished 3-for-3 and recorded three RBIs, but scored four runs thanks to getting on base an extra time due to a walk.
Jennah Speth had the game’s only homerun and finished 3-for-3 at the plate with four RBIs and four runs scored to go along with her stolen base. Jaida Speth struck out seven batters over her four innings pitched.
The team started out its season strong at 2-0 and its next five games over the following five days went the Comets’ way in dominating fashion as well. The following day, against Wilmot Union, also took place on the road and ended up being the toughest game the team has played to open up the season.
The Comets trailed at the bottom of the first, second and sixth innings of the game, but a run scored in the top of the seventh brought the game to extra innings. In the top of the eighth inning, four Comet runs were scored, leading to the 9-5 victory.
DeLara ended the game with four RBIs once again, finishing 2-for-4 at the plate while hitting the team’s lone home run. Sydney Anderson added two RBIs as well, going 3-for-4. Jennah Speth pitched once again, but wasn’t as dominant as her initial 19-strikeout game, finishing with 13 strikeouts and five earned runs over eight innings.
The Comets out-hit Wilmot 12-8 and Wilmot had four errors compared to the Comets’ one. Four more games took place last week and each of them ended in comfortable Comet victories.
On April 14, the team hosted Elkhorn in its first home game of the season, and Jennah Speth dominated this time on the mound. The senior allowed two hits over seven innings and struck out 12 hitters in the 3-0 shutout.
Katelyn Gonzalez led the team offensively, finishing with two RBIs. All three Comets runs scored took place in the bottom of the fifth inning. The team’s next game the following day came on the road at the Woodside Sports Complex against Merrill.
Jennah Speth did her thing on the mound once again, going seven innings strong, allowing three hits and striking out 10 batters. It wasn’t just Jennah’s presence on the mound, though, as at the plate, she knocked in a three-run home run, leading the team in RBIs.
DeLara added two RBIs of her own, going 3-for-4 at the plate. The Comets scored three runs at the top of the third and four more at the top of the fourth en route to the 7-0 win.
On April 16, the team played its final two games of the opening week against Adams-Friendship and Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau, respectively. In the two games, the Comets won by a combined score of 22-1.
In the game against Adams-Friendship, the team scored 16 runs, winning the game, 16-0. Jaida Speth went five innings, allowing no runs and striking out 11 batters. Gonzalez led all players with four RBIs.
In the final game, against Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau, five runs were scored in the top of the fifth, sealing the 6-1 victory. Both Jaida and Jennah Speth pitched, with Jaida pitching five of the seven innings. DeLara finished with a team-high, three RBIs thanks to a double.
The Comets were at 7-0 going into Monday’s game against Milton at West Park, in Darien. The team was scheduled to play at Badger High School on Tuesday.
