Elk Grove hands Downers North first loss

Elk Grove coach Ken Grams called it one of the two most important plays in Friday’s nonconference softball game against Downers Grove North.

The Grenadiers were hitting in the bottom of the second inning, trailing by a run after Downers Grove left fielder Sarah Anderson homered off pitcher Dani Goranson in the top half of the inning. It was just the fourth earned run Goranson has allowed this year.

Trojans pitcher Kendall Ryndak had already struck out the inning’s first two batters when Grens shortstop Krista Soesbe dug in to the batter’s box.

Elk Grove came into the game with just one loss, and had won 13 games in a row. But Downers Grove was on a 14-game winning streak, and unbeaten on the year. It was a game that only manifested itself on Tuesday, when Grams sent out some faxes to try to fill an open day in Elk Grove’s schedule.

Soesbe didn’t know anything about the pitcher she was facing, and with 2 of her teammates already striking out in the inning, she was just trying to put the ball in play, because, as she said after the game, “Nobody likes to strike out.”

Her effort for contact resulted in a smash to left field that cleared the fence for her first homer of the season. It put her teammates at ease, and the Grens settled in behind Goranson for a 6-1 victory.

“I knew we had to answer,” Soesbe said. “I was just trying to get on base so Becca (Walz) could bring me around. I really just tried to put it out there somewhere and it ended up working out for me.”

Goranson turned in a fantastic all-around game for Elk Grove (14-1). On the mound she pitched a complete game, allowing just 5 hits and a walk while striking out 12. At the plate she went 2-for-3 with a 2-run homer and a double.

“I was getting the outside corner,” Goranson said of her pitching performance. “My curveball was breaking perfectly. Getting that was good. It hasn’t been working too well lately.”

In addition to Soesbe’s homer, Grams highlighted a sacrifice bunt by sophomore centerfielder Elisa Payne in the third inning as the second key play in Elk Grove’s win.

“It was a simple bunt that set up a runner in scoring position, and we were able to get her in,” Grams said. “And then Dani hit the home run in that inning. I thought those were the two biggest plays of the game in my mind.”

Downers Grove North (14-1) coach Mark Magro was very happy with how his team played, but cited three errors by his infielders, all in the third inning, as a reason for the Grens being able to separate themselves.

“I think this game is going to be good for them,” Magro said. “They (his players) had a great attitude after the game. They weren’t down … It’s good to play a team like that and a pitcher like that. We’ve faced a couple of good pitchers, but she is really, really good.”

Senior second baseman Jessica Balzano went 2-for-4 with an RBI for Elk Grove. In addition to her homer, Soesbe also had a double in 3 at-bats.

Freshman pitcher Dale Ryndak pitched two scoreless innings in relief for the Trojans while striking out 5.