By: Dominic Scianna
Coach Germaine Padilla’s Taft High School girls varsity softball team has been on an impressive run for the last two years. The defending Chicago Public League (CPL) champion currently sports a record of 21-5 this season after a convincing 16-0 win in their CPL city playoff semifinal win over Northside College Prep yesterday at UIC’s Flames Field.
Seniors Olivia Saldana and Joselyn Ulloa led the charge offensively for Taft in the victory. Saldana drove in four runs and was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored, complimented by Ulloa, who went 3-for-4 with three runs scored and an RBI.
Mia Perez (two hits with three RBI and two runs scored), Saide Moussa (two runs scored and an RBI), Elena Gonzalez (a triple with two runs scored and an RBI), and Victoria Perez (two RBI) also had key contributions for the Eagles.
On the mound, sophomore pitcher Michaela Power got the win for Taft pitching 3 ½ scoreless innings to no-hit Northside (9-7-1) who had a successful regular season and playoff run for head coach Janitza Hernandez.
In the other semifinal matchup at UIC, Whitney Young (23-10) defeated Lane Tech 5-2 behind the stellar pitching of Dolphins senior Nyah Allen. She gave up just one earned run while striking out three and allowing six hits in five innings of work for the win.
Whitney Young’s offense was led by sophomores Natalie Nieves’ two hits and an RBI, and Georgia Lang’s two hits with a run scored, as the Dolphins pounded out nine hits on the day to showcase a balanced attack up and down their lineup.
The Lane Tech duo of Hannah Roeder (3-for-4 with a run scored) and Gianna Phillips (2-for-4 with an RBI) paced the offense for head coach Samantha Meinken’s squad in defeat. Lane finished the CPL regular season and city playoffs with an overall record of 16-9 this season.
Northside College Prep and Lane Tech now look to what’s ahead in the upcoming IHSA state playoffs.
Taft and Whitney Young will vie for the 2024 CPL Girls Varsity Softball City Championship on Friday, May 10 at UIC beginning at 6 p.m.
For more information, feature stories, scores and highlights visit the Chicago Public League sports website at www.CPSAthletics.com.
