Softball notes: Paige Vukadinovich bats third in new lineup and keeps hitting as Munster clinches share of conference title

Hitting third agreed with Paige Vukadinovich.

Munster’s junior center fielder went 2 for 3 with three RBIs as the Mustangs clinched at least a share of the Northwest Crossroads Conference title with a 7-4 win against visiting Hobart on Monday.

Typically the leadoff hitter for Munster (19-5, 7-1), which is tied at No. 12 in the Class 4A state coaches poll, Vukadinovich also scored a run and stole a base against the Brickies (13-8, 3-3).

“I like batting third a lot,” Vukadinovich said. “It’s different. I’m definitely looking for more RBIs. I’m trying to put it in play. It went pretty well. I did what I was looking to do.

“I was just trying to look for my pitch. I was trying to be more selective with my at-bats. That’s something I’ve struggled with. So I was just looking for my pitch and trying to get it in the air a little bit, hit liners.”

Munster’s Paige Vukadinovich strokes a hit during a game against visiting Hobart on Monday, May 10, 2021. (Andy Lavalley / Post-Tribune)

Vukadinovich had an RBI double as Munster scored four runs on five hits while batting around in the first inning. She added a two-run single to cap a three-run fourth, making it 7-1.

Vukadinovich pushed her average to a team-high .500 (39 for 78) and took over the team lead in RBIs with 27.

“We’ve been moving the lineup around a little bit, doing some different things and just trying to find out what’s our best fit. … She does a great job of hitting the ball,” Munster coach Beth Raspopovich said. “She gets on via bunt every now and then or a soft slap. But she’s doing a good job driving the ball and getting a lot of extra-base hits. So we figured we’d change things up a little bit.”

Sophomore Char Lorenz took over the leadoff spot, having hit in the middle of the order. She went 2 for 3 with a double, a run-scoring triple, a walk, two runs and a stolen base.

Senior Mia Adamus, who has moved up to second in recent weeks after batting toward the bottom of the order, also had two hits. She scored a run and had a stolen base.

“Mia’s been doing nothing but getting on base, so it’s tough not to put her up in the top of the order,” Raspopovich said. “I figure with Char and her speed and her ability to run the bases, and then Mia and she’s also pretty fast, and we can get Paige up there, we can make some good things happen at the top of that order.”

Munster’s Char Lorenz slides safely into second base before Hobart shortstop Hannah Camarena can apply the tag during their game in Munster on Monday, May 10, 2021. (Andy Lavalley / Post-Tribune)

Senior Saylem Smith went 2 for 2 with a run-scoring double and two walks for Hobart, which scored three runs in the seventh. Senior Hannah Camarena had a two-run double in the inning for her second hit of the game, which ended when Munster catcher Hailey Sullivan threw out a runner at second with Camarena on third.

Munster senior Marisa Chavez recorded the final two outs in relief of freshman Emily Siurek, who settled down after stranding the bases loaded in the first before running into trouble in the seventh.

Munster is scheduled to play Highland on Wednesday and at Hobart on Monday in its two remaining conference games. Hobart entered Monday as the only team with two conference losses, and now each team besides the Mustangs has at least three.

“Your big goal is to win a sectional and to make a run at the end of the season,” Raspopovich said. “But it starts with winning your conference. We always want to be conference champs if we can. So now it comes down to us taking care of business in the next two games, and then we won’t have to share it at all.”

Lone loss: Lake Central coach Jeff Sherman has a knack for offering descriptive insights. He put the Indians’ 5-0 loss to rival Crown Point on May 5 — their first setback of the season — into perspective.

“I’m an extremely competitive man,” Sherman said. “I don’t like to lose in anything. I don’t like to lose in Uno to my 4-year-old son.

“But baseball and softball are funny games. It is so extremely difficult to go an entire season without a loss. Some day there’s going to come a day where it doesn’t go your way. We’ve been fortunate we haven’t had to deal with that yet.”

Poll position: In addition to Munster in Class 4A, Lake Central is ranked No. 3 in the state coaches poll and Crown Point is ranked No. 5.

In Class 3A, Kankakee Valley is ranked No. 15, and Hanover Central is ranked No. 17.

In Class 2A, Boone Grove is ranked No. 7, Hebron is tied at No. 15 and Andrean is ranked No. 17.