Softball: Barrington edges Wisconsin power
A state softball power from Salem, Wis,. came to the Fields of Dreams on Saturday in Barrington.
Westosha Central came with three Division I recruits (two seniors and a junior) and another junior who pitched the Falcons to Wisconsin's Division I state championship at the University of Wisconsin last year.
But Barrington, which finished fourth in the IHSA state finals a year ago, was up to the challenge.
The Fillies scored all of their runs with two outs in a 7-5 victory over the Falcons (18-4), who have been to the Wisconsin state finals the last four years, with two state titles, one second and one Elite Eight berth to show for it.
Catherine McMahon (19-5) earned the win for the Fillies (24-6) as she threw a 7-hitter with 2 strikeouts over the Falcons junior Alyssa Hrncar, who allowed 6 hits with 4 strikeouts.
The Fillies scored first, taking a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second when freshman Kendall Peterson's single to right drove home Rachel Krzysko and Liz Sweeney.
The lead ballooned to 6-0 in the third on an RBI single by Sweeney followed by Jenna Fingerman's 3-run homer to center field.
It was as Fingerman's fifth homer of the season and 20th for the team which is led by Rachel Macdonald's seven.
Central cut the deficit to 6-3 in the top of the sixth before Barrington scored its final run in the bottom of the inning.
With two outs and runners on first and third, Abbey Jacobsen attempted to steal second but the Falcons made an error throwing the ball to third base and Peterson scooted home for a 7-3 lead.
Falcons catcher Kayla Konwent was Wisconsin's Gatorade Player of the Year last year and is committed to Wisconsin. Third baseman Chyanne Onstad is a Wisconsin-Green Bay recruit and Kira Mickelson (normally a shortstop serving Saturday as the designated player due to injury) is verbally committed to Northern Illinois.
"They have an impressive group of players," said Barrington coach Perry Peterson. "Our team played really well against a championship-caliber team."
This was Central's second game against an Illinois team. The Falcons defeated Libertyville, the top seed in the Buffalo Grove sectional, 11-0 on April 30.
Leading the Fillies offense were Sweeney (2-for-3, RBI), Fingerman (2-for-3, home run, 3 RBI), Peterson (1-for-2, sacrifice bunt, 1 run) and Krzysko (1-for-1, 2 runs).
Elk Grove 5, South Elgin 4: Elk Grove senior Sarah Pauscher (2-for-2, walk, 3 RBI) belted her third homer in two days and now has 14 for the season, 5 shy of her single-season school record set last spring.
Pauscher had solo blast in the second inning and she followed Alex Masnica's two-out single in the fifth inning with a 2-run homer that tied the game at 4-4.
The Grens scored the decisive fifth run in the bottom of the sixth as Mackenzie Flannery raced home from third base on Mackenzie Flannery's groundout.
Junior Kylie Thomsen (12-3) worked the first four innings, striking out seven, before senior Anna Bonder (7-1) came in for the final three innings to earn the win with 3 strikeouts.
Haley Itzenthaler was the Grens' other multiple hitter, going 2-for-4.
The Mid-Suburban East champions improved to 22-4 with the nonconference win.
Evanston 14, Buffalo Grove 10: Visiting Buffalo Grove stands at 8-17 after the nonconference loss in Evanston.
Olivia Morini tripled for the Bison while Grace Gran had 2 doubles. Katie Fontanetta and Jasmine Avalos also doubled for BG.
Prospect splits: Prospect won the opener over Grayslake Central 13-7 and fell 7-3 in the second game.
Alexa Meinzer earned the win in Game 1 while Alyssa Cacini, Cate Meersman and Aly Makuch all homered for the Knights. Teammate Jennifer Strickland added a double.
Sophomore Lauren Caldrone homered for Prospect (6-18) in Game 2.