Fink, Trevians are all smiles after overcoming 8-run deficit

Charlotte Fink was ready to meet the moment on Tuesday night.

The New Trier softball freshman, No. 9 hitter came prepared for the clutch thanks to her plate approach.

Fink’s RBI knock in the fifth inning gave the Trevians a lead after they erased an eight-run Maine South advantage, thanks to a big third-inning rally, to claim an 11-10 win Tuesday, April 17, on Duke Childs Field in Winnetka.

In the fifth, Fink, following an Abby Varca sacrifice bunt, laced a single to left field to plate Harper Glinn and give the Trevians a 10-9 lead. Elle Leuter added to the lead with a run-scoring single, making it 11-9.

“My goal is always line drive whether it’s middle-in or middle-out. I’m just looking to hit line drives,” Fink said. “I was like, oh, I know what they’re throwing me. I knew they were coming middle-in so I was like, let me back off, hit it down the line.”

The 10-9 lead was New Trier’s first of the game after the Hawks (2-6 overall, 1-2 in CSL South) held a 9-1 advantage.

On the night, Fink reached base three times, singling twice with one of those singles also coming in the midst of the third-inning rally for the Trevians (7-4 overall, 2-1 CSL South). 

Tuesday was the eighth time in 11 games the Trevians have scored at least 10 runs. 

The Trevians mashed their way through the order in the third, sending 13 hitters to the plate, scoring eight runs to turn a 9-1 deficit into a 9-9 tie.

Trevians coach Rose Wysocki delivered a simple message in the face of the large deficit. 

“We’ve been scoring a bunch of runs all season and to just keep scoring runs. … We’ve done it before,” Wysocki said. “We consistently are scoring upwards of 10 runs … so there’s no reason we weren’t going to do it this game.”

A barrage of Trevians offense ensued.

Jenna Maclachlan launched a two-RBI single to the fence in center. Sofia Norbot smashed a hard-hit grounder that resulted in a run off an error. Audrey Limacher smacked a run-scoring single off the tippity-top of a glove. Harper Glinn singled in a run. Varca ripped a single to right followed by a Fink base knock. Ilana Styles walked, and then Elle Ieuter’s grounder was gloved but thrown past first base, allowing the two runs to score that tied the contest at 9-9. 

Glinn recorded three hits, including a double, and Varca had two to go with her sacrifice bunt. 

“It’s so much fun to watch us all hit,” Fink said. “Rallies, they’re amazing. Having three of us (Glinn, Varca, Fink) going back to back to back, that was really fun.”

Wysocki also enjoys watching her whole lineup hit — especially with a surprise addition on Tuesday

“Production from 1 to 9 is what we’re looking for and it was awesome today,” Wysocki said. “Addy Varca, she’s a senior, this was her first game hitting. She’s a pitcher and we don’t normally have her (hit) and she did wonderful too so it was really nice to have that production up and down.”

The Hawks were knocking on the door again in the sixth inning and pulled within a run, 11-10, with two outs when Lyla Andelin made a doozy of a catch at shortstop, tracking the ball over her shoulder and making a diving snag to preserve her team’s lead and end the Maine South threat.

Brooke Parker, who entered the game in the circle for New Trier, helped slow the flurry of offense coming from Maine South’s bats. 

“Brooke has been really consistent for us,” Wyscoki said. “She’s level headed on the mound and she’s willing to work through hard times. We are a little short staffed on our pitching right now. We only have two pitchers so both of our pitchers know they’re going to have to work through tough situations.”

The Trevans’ positive attitude at the plate and toward each other has led to some enjoyable softball for the team early on. The Trevians, coming off a 2025 CSL South title, has an approach that they feel confident can help them continue their winning ways.

‘“We practice our approach, seeing the ball, finishing, but I think it’s just we’re all there for each other,” Fink said. “We sacrifice, bunting. We play for each other. We don’t play like, ‘oh we want to go 4-for-4, 4-for-5,’ we are playing for each other and I really feel like that’s the biggest thing that is helping us.”

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