Elk Grove edges Hoffman Estates

In the most exciting Mid-Suburban League softball opener on Monday, Elk Grove edged visiting Hoffman Estates 9-8.

Sarah Pauscher (2-for-4) belted her seventh homer of the season and Brianna Leach (3-for-4) ripped her third as the Grens improved to 10-3. The Grens have 14 homers for the season.

Marjorie Sloan (2-for-3), Melissa Picchi (3-for-3) and Aleece Duffy each doubled for the Grens while Alex Masnica (2-for-4) was also a multiple hitter and collected 3 key RBI.

Kylie Thomsen (2-2) threw the final five innings to earn the win.

Junior Jordyn Fera homered for the Hawks (4-4) while freshman Giselle Velazquez went 2-for-2 with 2 walks.

Buffalo Grove 5, Palatine 0: Katie Fontanetta (4-for-4), Caitlin Catino (3-for-4), Emily Carnes (2-for-4) and Julia Camardo (2-for-2, 2 RBI) led the defending MSL East champs (7-1) in their conference opener.

Camardo (7-0) tossed a 7-hitter with 8 strikeouts and no walks.

Freshman Maddie Craver was 1-for-2 with a stolen base for Palatine (3-8) while Reggie Much was brought up from the junior varsity and got her first varsity hit.

Schaumburg 14, Hersey 1 (5 inn.): Paige Alt (4-0) fired a 3-hitter and went 3-for-4 at the plate with 3 RBI as visiting Schaumburg (7-1) won its MSL opener in Arlington Heights.

Elaine Walker and Christina Candotti (2-for-3) each belted homers for the Saxons who also got multiple hits from Shannon Felde (3-for-4, RBI) and a double from Sarah Schwind.

Katie Wingerter, Jackie Bednar and Payton Anderskow each had hits for Hersey (4-6).

Barrington 21, Rolling Meadows 2 (5 inn.): Kelly Katis (3-for-5, 3 RBI), Rachel Krzysko (3-for-5, 5 RBI, 3 runs), Liz Sweeney (3-for-4, 5 RBI) and Nicole Chapman (4 RBI) hit home runs for the visiting Fillies (10-3), who also received doubles from Rachel Macdonald, Sweeney and Krzysko in the MSL opener.

Senior Keenan Dolezal (9-3) had 8 strikeouts in four innings for the win while junior Brittany Glowacki worked the final inning.

Mallory King was 2-for-2 with a double for Meadows (1-8).

Fremd 26, Wheeling 4 (5 inn.): Freshman Jessica Mazur (4-for-5, double), Julie Josten (3-for-4, 2 RBI) and Reagan Schneider (2-for-6, 6 RBI, double) were multiple hitters for host Fremd (10-1) which also received a double from Holly Straup.

Lea Barrett (4-0) earned the win for the Vikings in their MSL opener.

Nazareth 10, St. Viator 5: Visiting Nazareth finally put the game away with 4 unearned runs in the top of the sixth inning.

Cam VanValkenburg, Krystal Harris, Catherine Hafner, Olivia Michalik and Lions pitcher Grace Kaiser each had 2 hits for St. Viator.

Haley Robinson capped the Lions' scoring with a RBI single.