Softball: Palatine earns 20-win season

Palatine's softball team gained its 20th win of the season on Monday and improved to 11-4 in the Mid-Suburban East with a 2-0 shutout over visiting Conant on Monday.

Freshman Rhiann Dick (6-6) won the pitcher's duel over Sam Gadomski (10-3) as the Pirates raised their record to 20-7.

The Pirates scored their only runs after a strikeout and a ground out in the second inning.

Amanda Stanczuk started the rally when she belted a two-strike single to right center. Sarah Grossman followed with a single to center and Grace Seiffert reached on an error to keep the inning alive. Grace Huff and Maddie Craver then drove in Stanczuk and Grossman.

Craver (2-for-3, RBI), Huff (1-for-2, double, RBI), Stanczuk (1-for-2, double) and Grossman (1-for-2) led the offense for Palatine, which did not make an error.

"We played amazing defense in this game," said Palatine assistant coach Kristen Proffitt. "Conant (19-6, 12-4) did not strike out one time and hit the ball hard all game but we kept coming up with the plays. This was a great bounce-back from a 5-error game on Friday."

Shortstop Craver and third baseman Stanczuk came up with big plays in the early innings. Brittany Padden caught three flyballs in left field and Huff caught four line drives in right field (two she had to dive to catch). Reggie Much caught three flies in right field (two on which she dove for.)

Craver made three plays on extremely hard hit balls.

The game ended in the seventh inning on a short pop up that looked like it was going to fall on the third-base line. Craver and Padden collided, but Craver held on while tumbling to secure the win.

Elk Grove 7, Rolling Meadows 2: Freshman Katia Pendowski (2-for-3) belted a home run while Kylie Thomsen (2-for-4) and Jaimie Klicka (2-for-4) had doubles for visiting EG (22-8, 10-6).

Senior Sabra Morton (8-3) earned with the win with a 5-hitter and 6 strikeouts.

Lydia Schultz struck out seven for RM (7-24, 2-14) which received doubles from Amanda Elkins and Emily Schmidt.

Barrington 3, Fremd 2: For the 16th time in program history, Barrington won its 30th game under coach Perry Peterson. This time, a walk-off single by catcher Abbey Jacobsen scored pinch runner Katherine Stagnito with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Barrington collected 6 hits, led by Jacobsen (2-for-3) and Rachel Krzysko (2-for-4) as the Fillies improved to 30-2 and 15-0 in the MSL West.

Catherine McMahon (19-1) struck out five in the complete game effort.

Reagan Schneider (3-for-4), Lexi D'Ambrosio (2-for-4) and Anne Marie O'Sullivan (2-for-4) collected multiple hits for Fremd (17-7, 11-5) while Fremd pitcher Hannah Ban struck out two.

Prospect 17, Wheeling 6 (5 inn.): Alex Kanter went 3-for-5 at the plate for Prospect (12-13, 6-10) and made a terrific catch to rob Sophia Stanke with two outs and the base loaded in the bottom of the first inning.

Knights junior Lauren Caldrone (3-for-4, 5 RBI) became the first player to hit a home run at Wheeling's new field, located at the corner of Heinz and Route 83.

Other multiple hitters for Prospect were Eileen Donohue (2-for-4, 2 RBI), Cassie Cunniff (2-for-4, 2 RBI) Cate Meersman (2-for-3, 3 runs) and Colleen Palczynski (double).

Madeline Borkowski earned the win with 5 strikeouts while Wheeling freshman pitcher Emmie LaCaeyse struck out four and also went 2-for -3 at the plate with an RBI. Her sister Peyton was also 2-for-3 with a double and scored 1 run. Teammate Becky McAtee also doubled and had 2 RBI for the Wildcats (3-22, 0-16).

Schaumburg 11, Hoffman Estates 1 (5 inn): Kaiden Jackson (2-for-4, home run, RBI), Cate Poplar (2-for-4, RBI), Summer Schulz (2-for-4, home run, 4 RBI), Micaela Encarnacion (3-for-3, 2 RBI) and Natalie Napier (3-for-4, 3 RBI) led Schaumburg to the MSL West win as the Saxons celebrated Senior Day for its eight seniors.

Alex Cook, winning pitcher Michelle Birkholz (double) and Brittney Butt also had hits for the Saxons (11-14, 8-7).

Mary Bean and Giselle Velazquez (RBI) each had 2 hits for Hoffman Estates (3-19, 2-13).

St. Viator 4, Carmel 3: It was senior day for the St. Viator seniors, but it will remembered for a junior's game-winning RBI in the ESCC contest in Arlington Heights.

With the game tied in the bottom of the seventh, the Lions' Adeline Swiderski and Cece Kaiser singled. Cam VanValkenburg walked to load the bases, setting the stage for Haley Robinson.

With two outs and an 0-2 count, Robinson singled up the middle to drive home the winning run.

The Lions scored 2 runs in the first inning on a single by winning pitcher Grace Kaiser, who also hit a solo homer in her next at bat for her 3rd RBI.

Kaiser, who had 7 strikeouts and scattered 3 hits, gave up 2 unearned runs in the fourth inning.

The Corsairs fought back to tie the game in the sixth and threatened again in the seventh when the leadoff hitter was hit by a pitch and advanced to second.

Grace Kaiser then struck out the next two batters and got a ground out to end the inning, setting up the dramatic walk-off single by Robinson.