Prom is no distraction as Raiders take care of business in all facets against Crimsons

QUINCY — There wasn’t enough time for prom to become a distraction. Quincy Notre Dame softball coach Eric Orne hopes the post-prom letdown won’t be either.

The Raiders needed a tidy 1 hour, 10 minutes to dispatch Jacksonville on Saturday morning, rolling to a 12-0 victory in five innings at The Backyard. It allowed enough time for the Raiders to scurry off to get ready for prom.

“I always wish prom was another weekend,” Orne said. “I’ve got to work on moving that.”

There isn’t much time post-prom to prepare for the Raiders’ next test as they travel across town to face Quincy High School at 6:30 p.m. Monday.

“We want to come into Monday hopefully without a prom hangover,” Orne said. “It’s a big city rivalry, and we want to be playing our best softball.”

Offensively, the Raiders (11-1) looked to be in a groove Saturday.

The Raiders scored in all four of their turns at bat, including a six-run fourth that included a Marah Becks two-RBI double that extended the Raiders lead to 9-0.

On the pitch before her double, Becks hit a pop up that landed in foul territory up the first base line, but Becks nearly got in the way of Crimsons pitcher Mack Gerard as she tried to make the catch. Playful heckles of “hit it fair next time” rang out from the Raiders dugout, and Becks promptly smoked a double off the wall.

“I knew I didn’t run into her because I stopped running,” Becks said of her close call. “They were giving me heck, so I just went up there and took care of business.”

Both Becks and Orne said this interaction is indicative of how close-knit this Raiders team is.

“We can all give each other heck and just shrug it off,” Becks said. “We’re just like a family. You just have to give each other heck, but then you have to go up there and do your part.”

Said Orne, “It reminds me of when I played college ball. You kind of have to have that razz to sometimes get that motivation. I like our team’s razz when it comes down to it. It’s playful fun, but I think it does get them kind of stirred up.”

Center fielder Morgan Winking, who only had three plate appearances before April 13, went 3 for 3 with three runs scored Saturday, giving her a 6-for-10 batting line in three games this week.

Winking, a slap hitter, knows her role and has fit seamlessly into the lineup.

“I just know I have to put the ball in play and help move people around the bases,” Winking said.

Said Orne, “I see her confidence growing and her becoming a better softball player every day. She has really come of age this week, so seeing her develop has made us a stronger team.”

Senior Brooke Boden turned in a sparkling outing in the pitcher’s circle. She struck out eight batters and gave up three hits in five innings. 

Lauren Miller is filling in at catcher as Payton Stupavsky works through an injury, and Boden said she is comfortable with whoever is behind the plate.

“Lauren was fantastic behind the plate today,” Boden said. “She hung onto my movement really well. Our catchers are able to set it up and frame the ball. They really help us out back there.”

Boden’s complete game means the Raiders did not have to turn to their workhorse, Caitlin Bunte, who has pitched 58 innings and had appeared in the circle for all 11 games prior to Saturday. Bunte will pitch Monday against QHS.

“It was great to see Brooke have command in the circle today and really save Caitlin some innings going into next week,” Orne said. 

Jacksonville coach Kelly Brockhouse said QND presents a challenge to any team it goes up against.

“When you come to Quincy Notre Dame, you know you’re going to face a tough competitor,” Brockhouse said. “They’re really good, really fundamentally sound.”