Softball/Northwest roundup

Brittany Ciura enjoyed a fine 2010 summer with a .367 batting average, 8 doubles and a triple.

Evidently, the Fremd third baseman is ready to carry that performance into her junior high school spring season.

In a doubleheader sweep of St. Charles East on Saturday, Ciura was 4-of-5 with 2 home runs (1 a grand slam), 9 RBI and 2 walks — and she had a perfect on-base percentage.

“She was unbelievable,” said Fremd coach Jim Weaver after his team improved to 6-0 with a 10-0 five-inning win in Game 1 and 12-3 triumph in Game 2.

Ciura’s 3-run homer with no outs in the third inning gave Fremd a 3-0 lead in Game 1. She ended up 2-for-3 with a double, 3 RBI and 2 runs scored.

Other top hitters for the Vikings were Megan Hubbard (2-for-3, 3 RBI, 2 runs), Allie Gaeding (2-for-4, 1 run) and Mandi Matsumoto (2-for-4, 2 runs).

Fremd junior Rachel Doering (4-0) threw a 3-hitter with 8 strikeouts and no walks.

Sophomore Ashlynne Schwantz (2-0) struck out two in the first 6 innings of Game 2. Senior Stacey Hyntka struck out one while throwing the seventh inning.

The Vikings were led on offense by Ciura (2-for-2, grand slam, 6 RBI, 2 walks) and Gaeding (3-for-4, 3 runs).

“St. Charles is very nice offensive team,” said Weaver, whose team finished the day with 22 hits.

Elk Grove sweeps Resurrection: For the first time in his 31 seasons, Elk Grove coach Ken Grams saw 3 consecutive home runs by his Grens (4-1).

With one out in the second inning, Dani Goranson (2-run blast), Megan Keegan and Kristen Cetkovic hit back-to-back-to-back shots over the fence as the host Grens won 14-0 in five innings in Game 1.

Junior Tori Liewergen (4-for-4), Devan Parkison (2-for-4), Keegan (2-for-4), Cetkovic (2-for-4) and Krista Soesbe (2-for-3) led the Grens’ offense.

Goranson (4-1) threw a 3-hitter with 5 strikeouts for the win.

The junior right-hander also got the 4-3 win in Game 2, throwing the final 4 innings of a nine-inning contest.

Junior Andrea Starr went the first 5 innings.

The big news of Game 2 was the return of all-area second baseman Jessica Balzano.

Playing her first game of the season (appendix issues kept her sidelined), Balzano went 2-for-4.

“It was nice to have Jessica back,” said Grams after watching the Loyola recruit extend her hitting streak to 42 straight games.

Junior Rebecca Walz (2-for-3) belted a 2-run homer in the second inning.

The Grens won the game in the bottom of the ninth when Soesbe led off by reaching on an error.

Walz sacrificed her to second base, and after a flyout, sophomore Elisa Payne (2-for-4) lined a single over the third baseman’s head for the game-winner.

Barrington quad: First-year Schaumburg coach Ellen Stoddard notched her first 2 wins with the Saxons (2-1) as juniors Alyssa Lancaster (1-1) and Renee Kakareka (1-0) earned the victories.

Lancaster stopped Antioch 5-2 as the Saxons’ offense was led by Alexis Carravetta (1-for-1, double, walk, sacrifice), Brianne Lingl (2-for-3, 2-run homer, 3 RBI), Amber McCoy (1-for-1, double, sacrifice) and Jenna Lane (1-for-3, home run).

Kakareka posted a 3-2 win over Lane Tech as junior Aubrey Lopshire led the way offensively for Schaumburg by going 2-for-2,

“Everyone contributed and we played like a team,” Stoddard said.

Barrington (6-2) split its two games, defeating Lane Tech 18-0 in five innings and falling 5-3 to Antioch.

The Fillies erupted for 13 runs in the first inning against Lane Tech, taking advantage of 9 errors.

Sophomore Loren Krzysko (1-0) threw the final 4 innings to notch the win with 7 strikeouts.

Senior Dana Moran (2-for-3, 4 RBI) and junior Danielle Di Iorio (2-for-3, 2 RBI) led the Fillies’ offense.

All 5 of Antioch’s runs were the result of home runs. Kaylene Ressler and Amber Larson belted 2-runs blasts, while winning pitcher Olivia Duehr hit a solo homer.

Barrington’s Krzysko (2-for-3, 2 RBI) also joined the home run parade with a 2-run blast that hit off the middle of the scoreboard in centerfield.

Liz Owen (double) and Colleen Shandley also went 2-for-3 for the Fillies, while teammate Tess Bolger doubled.

Antioch snapped Barrington’s 11-game winning streak at the Fields of Dreams.

Senior Kiley Dolezal (5-1) went the first 2 innings, while Emma Woods (0-1) finished the final 4 innings.

Buffalo Grove, Niles West split: Senior Maria Dax (3-1) threw a 4-hitter with 3 strikeouts as the visiting Bison won 2-1 in Game 1.

Senior Andrea DiPrima’s 2-run double to left-center field in the first inning scored Amanda Salzman and Erin Barton with what proved to be the game-winning RBI.

In Game 2, Niles West scored 3 runs in the bottom of the seventh to edge the Bison 3-2.

Jessie Lazzara (3-for-3, triple, double, RBI) and KC Dunne (2-for-3, double) led the offense for BG (3-2).

Megan Fu pitched the first 5 innings for BG and DiPrima (0-1) went the last 2 innings.

Prospect drops two: Glenbrook North posted 2-1 and 11-6 nonconference triumphs over the visiting Knights.

In Game 1, Knights junior Hanna Lythberg (0-1) struck out six. Mary Styzek, Nikki Surico and Sam Mangrum had the 3 hits for Prospect (2-2).

In Game 2, Mangrum (2-1) was the Knights pitcher and the senior also went 3-for-4 with a double and RBI followed by teammates Michelle King (2-for-4, double, RBI) and Julie Mazur (1-for-2, 2 walks, 2 runs, RBI). Surico also had an RBI single.

Palatine sweeps Grant: The host Pirates (5-2) won the five-inning opener 18-4 behind senior southpaw Dani Boisvert (2 strikeouts).

Joanne Jablonski (4-for-4) hit for the cycle, collecting 5 RBI.

Other top Pirates hitters were Sam Salomone (3-for-4, double), Lauren Logan (2-for-4) and Kaileigh Moertl (2-for-3, triple).

Palatine also won Game 2 in five innings, 14-4, as Katie Mnichowicz (1-for-3, double), Jablonski (3-for-4, home run), Lauren Logan (2-for-3, home run) and Katie Scovic (2-for-3, double) led the offense.

Leyden sweeps Maine West: Christina Morgan (2-for-4), Amanda Moran (1-for-3, home run), Dana Sullivan (2-for-4, double, triple, 2 RBI) and Moira Quinlan (2-for-4) were top hitters for visiting Leyden in a 5-2 triumph in Game 1.

Morgan Maize (4-0) struck out 11 for the win over Ariel Valles.

Renee Pond went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI for Maine West (1-4), while teammate Brie Montmarquette also doubled.

In Game 2, Leyden (5-0) posted a 15-5 victory as the Eagles’ Hannah Seymore (1-0) went all 7 innings with 1 strikeout.

April Markowski (3-for-5, double, 3 RBI), Maize (3-for-5, 2 home runs, double, 6 RBI), Dana Sullivan (2-for-3) and Kelly Nessling (2-4, double, 3 RBI) led the Eagles’ offense.

West was led by Montmarquette (2-for-4, double), Pond 3-for-4, 2 RBI) and Alyssa Bojarski (double).

Jacobs tourney: Hoffman Estates (1-4) lost to the host Golden Eagles (10-1), Lincoln Way Central (3-0) and South Elgin (9-0). Hoffman’s Sam Acosta went 2-for-2 against Jacobs with a sacrifice.