COOL TO BE KINDY
Calling previous game against KV ‘kind of a mess,’ Munster pitcher earns key win
By Michael Osipoff
Mady Kindy understandably experienced nerves before Munster’s key Northwest Crossroads Conference game at Kankakee Valley on Friday.
But the sophomore pitcher didn’t show them.
The Mustangs topped the Kougars 4-1, with Kindy allowing only an unearned run on five hits while striking out six.
“They’re very good hitters, but I was hitting my spots pretty well,” Kindy said. “They were hitting the ball hard at times, and my defense was right there behind me to get the outs for me. That really helped.
“The last game was kind of a mess. So I just had to come out strong (Friday), hit my spots, make sure all my pitches were moving and working to get those outs.”
Indeed, Kankakee Valley (8-5, 4-2), tied at No. 11 in the Class 3A state coaches poll, defeated Munster (14-4, 5-1), No. 15 in the Class 4A poll, 12-7 in the teams’ first game April 12.
This game revolved more around pitching and defense. Kindy outdueled senior Mary Kate Shultz, who allowed four runs (one earned) on seven hits — all singles — with four strikeouts and no walks.
Kankakee Valley scored its only run in the seventh, on a passed ball, after freshman JoJo Short hit her second double with one out.
“Mady pitched excellent, obviously,” Munster coach Beth Raspopovich said. “The kid who got the double, that was the first batter she had been behind in the game. She had been ahead of every other batter. When you’re ahead of batters and not working from behind and you’re able to pitch your best pitches, you’re going to do some good things. She had a great game, and our defense again was pretty solid.
“She’s definitely starting to come into her own. She just has a great demeanor — never gets too high, never gets too low. She’s just out there trying to get better every day.”
After scoring two unearned runs in the second, Munster added two runs in the sixth. Senior Holly Kaim’s RBI single highlighted that inning, solidifying a step for the Mustangs toward a conference title.
“That’s kind of a mental hurdle, and we took the challenge,” Kaim said. “We did what we needed to do and got the ‘W.’ We’re happy, and we’re going to come back next week and do the same thing.”
Char Lorenz had two hits for Munster. The sophomore third baseman also made a stellar play on Shultz’s grounder to end the sixth, diving, collecting herself and making the throw to first, where Kaim stretched to record the out.
“Great players make great plays,” Raspopovich said. “Char covers a lot of ground at third base. … When Holly’s at first, you just have to get it in the area. You get it in the area, Holly’s going to make a play.”
Kankakee Valley coach Amanda Suarez wasn’t overly concerned about splitting the season series with Munster.
“We were putting the ball in play all game,” she said. “Unfortunately, our solid hits we’ve been putting up the last few games just didn’t come (Friday). I don’t think we played bad. We were just a little bit flat. We didn’t have that little extra spark that we’ve had.
“We’ve normally been putting up more hits and runs than that, but Munster’s a good team. … If us and Munster played each other 10 times, it’s going to be a good game every time.”