St. Charles East Blanks Lincoln-Way Central 10-0 Behind Dominant Pitching and Majkszak’s Power

ST. CHARLES, Ill. — The St. Charles East varsity softball team delivered a complete performance on Tuesday afternoon, rolling to a 10-0 non-conference victory over visiting Lincoln-Way Central in a game shortened to five innings by the run rule.

The Saints overpowered the Knights in every phase of the game, combining a flawless pitching tandem with an aggressive, 11-hit offensive attack.

St. Charles East set the tone early, jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. They kept the pressure on with another run in the second before breaking the game wide open down the stretch. A three-run surge in the fourth inning gave the hosts a comfortable cushion, and a four-run explosion in the bottom of the fifth sealed the 10-0 walk-off victory.

Lexi Majkszak was the focal point of the St. Charles East offense, providing the game’s biggest highlight with a home run. Majkszak finished 2-for-3 at the plate, driving in a team-high three runs and scoring once. Morgan Beers was a constant spark plug at the top of the lineup, going 3-for-4 with an RBI, a run scored, and a stolen base. Hayden Sujack also delivered a multi-hit performance, collecting two hits and an RBI.

The Saints were relentless on the basepaths, swiping five bags as a team to constantly put runners in scoring position and test the Lincoln-Way Central defense.

While the offense was clicking, the St. Charles East pitching staff was untouchable. M. Van Dinther earned the win, starting the game and tossing three scoreless innings. She scattered just two hits and struck out four without issuing a walk. Hannah Wulf took over in relief and was absolutely electric, pitching two perfect innings and striking out five of the seven batters she faced to slam the door on the Knights.

Lincoln-Way Central struggled to find any momentum at the plate. Senior E. McLaughlin and senior Annelysia Reina accounted for the team’s only two hits, both notching singles.

In the circle, Lincoln-Way Central utilized three pitchers to try and slow the St. Charles East attack. Ava Nemec and Madelyn Lanigan each pitched two innings, surrendering three earned runs apiece, before Jenna Lee entered in the fifth inning during the Saints’ final four-run surge.

With the decisive victory, St. Charles East showcased exactly why their balanced attack of power, speed, and shutdown pitching makes them a formidable opponent this season.

Game Summary

Score by Quarters

Scoring Drives

• 1st Inning: St. Charles East strikes early to take a 2-0 lead.

• 2nd Inning: St. Charles East tacks on another run to extend the advantage to 3-0.

• 4th Inning: St. Charles East breaks the game open with a three-run frame.

• 5th Inning: St. Charles East erupts for four runs, triggering the run rule to secure the 10-0 win.

Individual Statistics

BATTING:

• St. Charles East: Lexi Majkszak (2-3, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 R); Morgan Beers (3-4, 1 RBI, 1 R, 1 SB); Hayden Sujack (2-4, 1 RBI); Kayla LaRose (2-3, 1 2B); Leighton Colley (1-1, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 SB); M. Van Dinther (1-3, 1 R, 1 SB); Ari Bigda (1 R, 1 SB); Caleigh Higgins (1 SB).

• Lincoln-Way Central: E. McLaughlin (1-2); Annelysia Reina (1-2).

PITCHING:

• St. Charles East: M. Van Dinther (W, 3.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K); Hannah Wulf (2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K).

• Lincoln-Way Central: Madelyn Lanigan (L, 2.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 K); Ava Nemec (2.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 0 K); Jenna Lee (0.1 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 0 K).