West Chicago 1, WW South 0

DuPage Valley Conference softball coaches have to be scratching their heads and asking the same question:

Just who is this West Chicago freshman?

Mary Connolly threw her eighth shutout of the season Tuesday, 3-hitting Wheaton Warrenville South in a 1-0 win in Wheaton.

"I think maybe I've caught some teams off guard," Connolly said. "Some teams we face probably think they can win without a fight because West Chicago has been down for a few years, but we're here to compete. Our goal is to win the DVC."

Connolly (11-3) struck out six in earning her fourth shutout in conference play.

"They put the ball in play," she said, "but I had confidence in my defense."

After giving up a two-out double to Katy Frey in the first, Connolly retired nine straight batters until Meaghan Sullivan reached on an error with two out in the fourth.

But West Chicago catcher Linnea Detrick picked off Sullivan at first and gunned down another runner at first in the fifth inning.

"That was definitely a turning point in the game," Connolly said.

Connolly stranded two WW South runners in the sixth. Sullivan doubled to lead off the seventh for the Tigers (11-9, 4-3), but Connolly got a lineout and two grounders to end the game.

"That last inning we had our No. 5 and No. 6 hitters coming up," WW South coach Denise McCance said. "We thought one of them would get a hit, which is why we didn't bunt. We went for it. It just didn't work out."

Virginia McAndrews (6-5) was the hard-luck loser for WW South , striking out 12.

"She pitched a great game," McCance said, noting McAndrews' 0.15 ERA in conference games. "It's kind of been the story of our season. We have nine losses and I think seven are by one run."

West Chicago scored the game's lone run in the second. Connolly singled to lead off, courtesy runner Molly Monroe took second and third on wild pitches and scored on Jamie Dash's single under the second baseman's glove.

The Wildcats (11-4, 5-1) are off to their best start in conference since winning the DVC in 2001. The road doesn't get any easier, with games against West Aurora today and Glenbard North on Thursday.

"The last few years it seemed like we always started off slow and then had to dig ourselves out of it," said West Chicago coach Jim Schaudt. "It's a good feeling."