Softball: Kehoe, Fremd edge Barrington

The Mid-Suburban West softball rivalry between Fremd and Barrington always seem to produce some of the most suspenseful games of the season.

Monday's fit right into that mold as the host Vikings edged the Fillies 2-1 in Palatine.

All the runs in the snappy pitchers' duel between a pair of sophomores (Fremd's Nikki Kehoe and Barrington's Catherine McMahon) came in the first two innings.

In fact, Fremd's runs came within its first four batters of the game.

Abby Iuorio started the bottom of the first by reaching base on an error. Trying to sacrifice Iuorio to second, Alyssa Garcia reached on an error.

After a fly out to right, cleanup hitter Ann Marie O'Sullivan (2-for-2, walk) singled to center to drive home Iuorio and Garcia (1-for-2, sacrifice) for the 2-0 lead.

Barrington's run came when senior Liz Sweeney belted a solo homer with one out in the top of the second.

Barrington's only other hits off Kehoe (14-3) came on singles by Jenna Fingerman and Jamie Brown that followed Sweeney's blast.

But Kehoe got a groundout to shortstop Reagan Schneider and a strikeout to escape and neither team scored again.

Kehoe (2 strikeouts) and McMahon (1 strikeout) each allowed only 3 hits.

The victory leaves Fremd (21-4, 12-2) in second place in the MSL West ahead Schaumburg (18-8, 12-4) and Barrington (24-7, 11-5).

Fremd hosts West champ Conant on Tuesday and visits Rolling Meadows on Wednesday.

Schaumburg 15, Hoffman Estates 4 (5 inn.): Junior Michelle Birkholz had a game to remember.

The Saxons' leadoff batter belted 2 homers and 2 doubles while going 4-for-4 with 5 RBI and a sacrifice fly.

And she won her ninth game on the mound against just 3 losses while striking out six and tossing a 5-hitter.

The Saxons' other extra base was from junior Brittney Butt, who doubled and went 2-for-3 with a sacrifice and walk.

Other top hitters for the Saxons (18-8, 12-4) were Cate Poplar (3-for-4) and Natalie Napier (2-for-4).

Jordyn Fera (1-for-2, walk) celebrated senior day by belting her ninth homer of the season.

Mary Bean (1-for-2, sacrifice bunt), Giselle Velasquez (1-for-1, 2 walks) and Jackie Folmar (1-for-2, RBI) were other top hitters for the Hawks (3-24, 1-15).

Fera, Veronica Cardella Alyssa Alaya and Alexis Morris were honored for senior day.

Elk Grove 5, Rolling Meadows 5: Junior Kylie Thomsen struck out 13 as the winning pitcher for MSL East champ Elk Grove (23-4, 12-4) and also went 2-for-3 at the plate with a home run and double.

She drove in 4 of her team's 5 runs with a 3-run double in the third and solo homer (her 10th) in the fifth.

Thomsen's 3-run double came with one out and followed consecutive singles by Haley Itzenthaler, Alex Masnica and Sarah Pauscher.

Carly Crothers was EG's other multiple hitter as she went 2-for-3.

Thomsen (13-3) threw a 2-hitter at the Mustangs (15-14, 6-9).

Hersey 3, Buffalo Grove 2: Host Hersey (16-11, 10-6) wrapped up is second-place finish in the MSL East by winning for the eighth time in nine games.

Freshman Sarah Bailitz (11-7) earned the win with junior Kaitlyn Denten working the final innings in relief.

Hersey junior Jackie Bednar (2-for-2) belted a solo homer in the fifth inning to cap the scoring.

The Huskies' first 2 runs came in the bottom of the second.

Jodie Hermann doubled and came home on Denten's single followed by Bednar's game-winning RBI single which drove home Hermann.

Katie Wingerter and Makayla Tsagalis also doubled for Hersey.

The Bison (8-18, 5-11) jumped ahead 1-0 in the top of the second when freshman Jacqueline Bickhaus singled to left with two outs to score classmate Bailey Williams.

Prospect 10, Wheeling 0: Sophomore Alyssa Cacini and Lindsey Lecompte each doubled for the host Knights (6-19, 3-13).

Sophomore Alexa Meinzer earned the win in the MSL East contest.

Maine West 18, Glenbrook South 2 (5 inn): The visiting Warriors had 16 hits, led by Nicole Byerly and Grace Feldkamp (double, triple) who had three apiece.

Jordan Hart, Kayla Pociejewski and Monica Liwag each had 2 hits with Pociejewski Liwag each belting home runs.

Allison Eby earned the win for the Warriors (8-13, 5-4) in the CSL North contest.