Emotional victories for Wagner, Warren
Warren's softball team honored Sherry Wagner, the mother of senior pitcher Jana Wagner, then went out and defeated visiting Palatine 16-3 in five innings in nonconference action Saturday.
Jana Wagner, whose mother passed away last fall, was the winning pitcher, as she allowed only 1 earned run, while striking out eight and not walking a batter.
Michelle Vasen, Jazmin Bonke, Shannon McKeon and Sabrina Trevino each went 3-for-3 for Warren (11-6). McKeon doubled twice and knocked in 2 runs, while Trevino homered.
The Blue Devils also got doubles from Vasen, Megan Scott and Crystal Pennell.
Wauconda splits: At Libertyville's quad, Paige Motley's solo home run in the top of the eighth lifted Wauconda to a 3-2 win over Fremd, before Huntley defeated the Bulldogs 10-1.
Wauconda (15-4) got RBI singles from Taylor McCarthy and winning pitcher Kayla Wedl in the fifth to pull even against Fremd. Wedl allowed 4 hits and struck out 14. She also hit a double.
Wedl suffered the loss against Huntley, which pounded out 13 hits, including a pair of home runs. Wedl and Lauren Nee had 2 hits apiece for Wauconda.
Antioch sweeps Wheeling: The Sequoits picked up their second and third wins in two days by sweeping the nonconference doubleheader.
Antioch (8-9) won the opener 9-6, as Jessica Pedersen and Sage Keyes (2 RBI) each doubled and singled. Ashley Stephens was 2-for-2, while Jessica Tyrell singled and knocked in 3 runs. Winning pitcher Hannah Cook allowed 2 earned runs in a complete-game effort, striking out nine.
The Sequoits completed the sweep with a 12-2 win in five innings, as Hannah Skoog went 3-for-4 with 3 RBI. Stephens and Pedersen (RBI) each had 2 hits, and Bella Hoffman doubled. Annie Wagner threw all 5 innings for the win.
Antioch showed the utmost respect to Wheeling's Nikki Mikosz by walking her three times intentionally in each game.
Libertyville splits: At its own quad, Libertyville got a walk-off homer from Madi Dembinski in the bottom of the seventh to edge Fremd 3-2.
Andi Katz's 2-run homer in the sixth had pulled Libertyville (17-3) even. Tayler Oberman (2-for-3) was aboard for Katz's blast. Dembinski also had a 2-hit game. Winning pitcher Haley Alban threw all 7 innings, allowing 4 hits, striking out six and walking five.
The Wildcats also suffered a 9-7 loss to Huntley, despite another home run from Dembinski, who also singled and had 4 RBI. Jamie Stevens was 4-for-4 for Libertyville. Alban went 2-for-3 with an RBI, and Taylor Zoellick was 2-for-4.
Jacobs 14, Grayslake Central 5: The Rams fell behind 6-0 after half an inning en route to their second loss in a row in Fox Valley Conference action.
Juliana Frusolone went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored for Grayslake Central (13-7, 4-2), and Brandy Heraty had a double.
Jacobs got home runs from Alyssa Lach and Emily Borg.
Stevenson, Buffalo Grove split: Taylor Koenigs, Abby O'Connor and Jordan Cortesi each doubled for the host Patriots, who won Game 1 of the nonconference doubleheader by an 11-5 final.
Trisha Porzycki was 2-for-4 with 2 runs scored, and Kat Trotter went 2-for-3 with 4 RBI.
Stevenson (6-12) could not complete the sweep, however, as it failed to protect a 5-1 lead and fell 8-6.
O'Connor's 3-run double in the second had the Patriots ahead 5-1, before the Bison tallied 3 runs in both the third and fourth innings.
Cortesi went 2-for-3 and scored a run.