Softball: Padden puts Palatine on right path

All the runs in Tuesday's Class 4A regional semifinal at Zion-Benton came in the fifth inning.

Fortunately for No. 3 seeded Palatine, it had one more run in that inning than the host and No. 14 Zee Bees and came away with a 3-2 victory.

The reason the Pirates had one more run is because of its hardest hit ball of the season.

Junior Brittany Padden crushed a 2-run homer that made it 3-2 and winning pitcher Sarah Grossman made it stand up for the winning margin.

Palatine (23-7) will play in Saturday's 11 a.m. championship against the winner of today's game between No. 6 Lake Zurich and No. 11 Buffalo Grove.

Grossman (13-1) finished with 9 strikeouts and also went 2-for-3 at the plate with 2 doubles.

Trailing 2-0 going into the bottom of the fifth, the Pirates began the inning with Grossman's double off the center field fence. Grace Huff (3-for-3) followed with a doubled to score Grossman to make it 2-1.

Maddie Craver hit a line drive which was the caught by the Zee Bees' leaping third baseman, leaving Grossman at second base.

Padden (2-for-3) then came up and with a 2-0 count, she belted the ball over the center field fence.

"Everyone knew it was gone the second it left her bat," said Pirates assistant coach Kristen Proffitt. "The fence was significantly farther than the one at Palatine, and it is 10 feet high. I had a great angle to watch the ball. It was the farthest ball we've hit all year. Brittany has been seeing the ball really well and she was able to help the team in a big way today."

Grossman struck out two in her scoreless sixth inning.

In the top of the seventh, right fielder Reggie Much caught a flyball for the first out. The next batter singled and the Pirates' coaching staff went out to talk things over with Grossman as the Zee Bees had their No. 3 and 4 hitters coming to bat.

"Time was called, and Rhiann Dick (freshman pitcher) was ready to go into the game if needed," Proffitt said. "Sarah said 'I think I can get her (Z-B's No. 3 hitter, who was 2-for-3)' and the decision was made to leave Sarah in the game. She was right. She came through with a huge swinging strikeout for the second out."

Grossman got the next batter a soft line drive to left field on which shortstop Craver backpedaled to grab and secure the victory for the Pirates.

"Sarah did a great job pitching for us today," Proffitt said. "I know from experience how difficult it is to pitch in the rain, but she didn't let it affect her mental approach at all. She threw hard and she hit her spots all game, and that allowed us to come out with a win.

"I love the presence that she has on the mound and the fact that she isn't scared of any batter. She kept us in the game until we scored, and she showed how tough she was by holding them through the end of the game."

Barrington leading 2-1: Top-seeded Barrington (30-3) was leading 2-1 with No. 6-seeded Crystal Lake South batting in the top of the fifth inning and one out when rain halted play.

The semifinal of the Class 4A Hampshire regional will resume Wednesday at 4:30 p.m.

The Gators have runners on first and second base with their No. 3 batter due up.

Barrington scored both of its runs in the first inning on a 2-run, two-out single by Haley Luczak which scored Carly Kordich (walk) and Abbey Jacobsen (hit by pitch).

The Fillies have 4 hits off Christina Toniolo, led by Kordich (1-for-2, 1 run), Luczak (1-for-2), Julia Kozar (1-for-2) and Tori Meyer (1-for-2).

Catherine McMahon has allowed 6 hits with 4 strikeouts in 4⅓ innings while Toniolo has given up 4 hits and struck out three in 4 innings.

The semifinal between No. 4 Hampshire vs. No. 5 Dundee-Crown has been pushed back to Thursday.

Lake Park regional: No. 8 Lake Park vs. No. 9 Schaumburg was postponed and moved to Wednesday at 2 p.m. The regularly-scheduled game between No. 1 St. Charles East and No. 16 Addison Trail will follow at 4:30 p.m.

Loyola sectional: No. 4 Hersey vs. No. 13 Grayslake North was postponed to Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. with No. 5 Carmel vs No. 12 Loyola pushed back to Thursday at 4:30 p.m.

Elk Grove regional: No. 4 Elk Grove vs No. 13 Streamwood was postponed to Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. with No. 6 Bartlett vs. No. 12 Prospect pushed back to Thursday at 4:30 p.m.

St. Viator regional: No. 4 St. Viator vs. No. 13 Elmwood Park was postponed to Wednesdsay at 4:30 p.m. with No. 5 Vernon Hills and No. 12 Northside pushed back to Thursday at 4:30 p.m.

Conant regional: No. 3 Conant vs. No. 15 Glenbard East was postponed to Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. while No. 7 South Elgin vs. No. 10 Glenbard North pushed back to Thursday at 4:30 p.m.