DePouw powers Grant to victory

If you've grown up playing ball in Fox Lake, you might not have played on a hill but rather played with a Hill.

In Rachel DePouw's case, she played for a Hill.

Grant senior C.J. Hill, who's the youngest of six athletic kids, including four girls who played softball, says DePouw's first softball coach was her dad, Michael Hill. That was several years ago for the Grant Township AAA.

DePouw is a freshman now and, like the Hill sisters, is an athlete. She could be line for plenty of success on the diamond if her performance against visiting Johnsburg on Thursday is any indication.

DePouw - along with Hill's help - led Grant to a 3-1 win over the Skyhawks. DePouw struck out 12 in a complete-game 1-hitter, as she outdueled Dayton-bound Amanda Daly, who fanned 10 and allowed just 3 hits, including triples to DePouw and Hill.

"Awesome," Hill said of DePouw's pitching.

"I knew I had defense behind me with C.J. catching amazing," DePouw said. "I knew we were facing a D-I pitcher and I just had to keep my head up."

DePouw was the losing pitcher for Grant (1-1) in its 10-6, season-opening loss to McHenry last Saturday, but Bulldogs coach Mike Dolezal said she was the victim of "10" errors and wasn't the reason why his team lost.

"Outstanding job," Dolezal said of DePouw's effort against Johnsburg. "I'm really proud of her. She really mixed them up and confused them. Her pitches were in and out, and C.J. called a good game."

For Johnsburg, which won a regional title last spring, it was the Skyhawks' season opener. Coach Wally Warner returns just three starters and started three sophomores.

"We're young and we're just learning," Warner said. "Amanda can only do so much."

"We're a young team too," Hill noted.

True. Grant started three other freshmen besides DePouw in first baseman Ashlee Fullerton and identical twins Amber Smith (third base) and Molly Smith (center field). The Bulldogs got a run off Daly in the first on Hill's line-drive triple to right that scored Amber Potts, who had gotten hit by a pitch.

Three consecutive errors allowed Johnsburg to tie the score in the fourth.

Grant retook the lead in the sixth when Potts, who had drawn a leadoff walk, sped home on a wild pitch.

Hill (2-for-3) scored an insurance run on a dropped popup.

The only hit DePouw allowed was a bunt single to Jordan Hauck in the second.

"(DePouw) did great," Warner said.

"She really kept us off balance, and that's what you got to do."

Meanwhile, Grant's returning all-conference pitcher, Brie Brugioni, who injured her knee on the second day of practice, said she's targeting a return date of April 14.

That'll give Dolezal two quality pitchers. Fullerton also pitches.

"It won't be a problem," Dolezal said with a smile. "We'll get a nice 1-2 punch going."