By Dennis Bowling
Beecher coach Kevin Hayhurst has really helped to develop freshman hurler Ava Lorenzatti into a varsity ready hurler. She is without a doubt having an exceptional beginning. That was very true on March 14.
Lorenzatti, who is very determined and poised, threw her seventh no-hitter, fanned 13 batters, had one walk, and hit one batter, to help Beecher rout Homewood-Flossmoor 11-0 (five innings) in a nonconference battle in Flossmoor.
With the win, Beecher is 15-1 overall, they have won six games in a row. Lorenzatti is 8-0 overall. She has three perfect games to her credit. She had no problems with the senior laden Vikings lineup.
“Ava knows how to pitch,” said a happy Hayhurst. “Her pitches have lots of movement and good location. We have a very good defense behind her. She can attack the hitters.”
Prior to coming to Beecher High School, at the Beecher junior high, Lorenzatti managed to win back to back junior high level state championships.
“Ava will develop and she will be a good pitcher for many years,” said Hayhurst. “She is humble and quiet. She just loves to pitch. She is really enjoying it.”
Through four frames against the Vikings, Lorenzatti had fanned an amazing 11 of 13 batters. In the fifth inning, she walked a Viking. Then, she got three H-F batters in a row to secure the lopsided win.
Lorenzatti is very composed in the circle.
“Coach (Hayhurst) has really helped me with everything about throwing a rise ball,” she said. “It has taken a lot of hard work and dedication. My catcher Emma (Tiltges) and I work really well together. I am just very excited to see what we can accomplish this season. We are off to a very good start.”
Tiltges provides lots of support for Lorenzatti.
“We have great chemistry,” she said. “She knows exactly where to throw the ball. It is really nice to be able to catch for her. They just weren’t able to hit her pitches.”
The Bobcats Lorenzatti (2rbi) praised senior Abby Sippel, a talented second baseman and an exceptional volleyball player, who is a real power hitter. She led Beecher driving in 4 rbi.
“Abby is consistent,” she said. “She is a real power hitter at the plate. She is a good leader too. We can always depend on her.”
Sippel felt that Lorenzatti had an outstanding performance against the Vikings.
“Ava is not too shabby,” she said. “She is just amazing to watch and play. She makes it look so easy. I have never seen a pitcher have such great pitching selection over their batters.”
“Against Homewood-Flossmoor, we just did not know what to expect,” she said. “We came to play.”
In the first frame, the Bobcats scored one run. Lorenzatti crushed a double to left field. Beecher Kylie Cook’s infield ground out moved Lorenzatti to third base. Sippel blasted a double to centerfield, on the play, Lorenzatti scored for a 1-0 lead.
The Bobcats scored three additional runs in the second frame for a 4-0 advantage. Beecher Tayiah Scanlan’s (3 hits) single drove in Ava Olson for the second run. Lorenzatti’s single plated Scanlan for the third run. Beecher Elena Kvasnicka’s single drove in Liliana Irwin for the fourth run.
In the fourth inning, the Bobcats scored three runs for a 7-0 lead. After one out, Scanlan dropped down a picture perfect bunt for a single. Lorenzatti double plated Scanlan for the fifth run. Kvasnicka’s (2rbi) single brought in Irwin for the sixth run. Sippel’s single drove in Kvasnicka for the seventh run.
Beecher scored four runs in the top of the fifth frame for an 11-0 victory. Sippel’s two run single was the highlight of the inning.
Look for the Bobcats to have an outstanding season, which will be led by Lorenzatti, Tiltges, and Sippel, among others.