Sports

Softball: Hofer's Gem Gives Andrew Bats Time to Warm Up in 4A Playoff Opener

Andrew 10, Thornwood 0: Brooke Hofer took a perfect game into the fourth inning, and the T-Bolts' bats came to life in a five-inning rout of the Thunderbirds on Tuesday in Tinley Park.

Touching All the Bases: On the first trip through the batting order, Andrew’s hitters appeared anxious and a little off on their timing in a 10-0 five-inning regional semifinal softball victory over Thornwood Tuesday afternoon in Tinley Park.

Brooke Hofer had their collective backs covered. Hofer (23-5) took a perfect game into the top of the fourth. She ended up teaming with Katie Christner on a no-hitter.

And the Thunderbolts erupted for eight runs in the last two innings to finish off the Thunderbirds in the opening round of the IHSA playoffs on their home field. Dani Bestwina led a 13-hit attack with three hits—all singles. She also walked and scored two runs.

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The victory was Andrew’s third this season over Thornwood. The first two came in Southwest Suburban Red Conference play.

Patch’s MVP: Brooke Hofer, senior, pitcher, Andrew. She pitched four innings of no-hit ball and struck out nine of the 13 hitters she faced. She walked one and didn’t allow Thornwood to hit the ball out of the infield.

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Andrew Leaders: Dani Bestwina (3-for-3, 2 runs), Katie Christner (2-for-4, 2 RBIs), Caitlin Migawa (2-for-3, triple, 1 RBI), Angela Robison (2-for-3, 1 RBI).

Thornwood Leaders: Pitcher Kai Pettigrew limited Andrew to two runs over the first three innings. She kept the T-Bolts off balance by mixing speeds in the early going.

Quotable I: “You know what, sometimes the first one, it kind of is the hardest to get,” Andrew coach Jim Holba said. “I don’t think it’s a nerves thing—I just think they are trying to do things too perfectly sometimes. And I think it puts too much pressure on them.”

Quotable II: “You go right at them,” Andrew pitcher Brooke Hofer said of her approach to facing Thornwood for the third time. “You don’t mess around. It’s playoffs now. If you lose, you go home. So, you go right at them. It’s the same with every team. It doesn’t matter who you’re playing.”

Team Records: Andrew is 31-5. Thornwood finished 13-19 in Lisa Votteler’s first year as coach of the Thunderbirds. She was a slap-hitter and played left field on Thornwood’s 1998 state championship team.

What’s Next: Andrew faces Sandburg or Shepard at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 26, in the championship game of the Class 4A Andrew Regional.

 


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