Softball: Fremd right at home in MSL opener
Fremd's softball team played on its home field for the first time this season on Tuesday.
The Vikings' bats hardly took a break from all the damage they were creating in their first five games elsewhere.
The Mid-Suburban West contender (5-1, 1-0) kicked off the conference season against Buffalo Grove by scoring 13 runs, the same number worn by winning pitcher Nikki Kehoe (2-0), a senior right-hander who gave up 1 hit in the first four innings with 4 strikeouts.
Classmate Jess Mazur gave up 1 hit with 1 strikeout in the fifth inning to complete the Vikings' 13-0 shutout over the Bison (2-2, 0-1).
Mazur, catcher Lexi D'Ambrosio and center fielder Anna Freveletti all belted their second homers of the season.
Mazur's 3-run blast to right center in the second inning was the 20th of her career, one shy of the school record held by Megan Hubbard.
D'Ambrosio followed with a solo blast over the center field fence. It was 10th of her career and put her into the top 10 on the school's all-time list.
"The back-to-back homers were awesome," said Kehoe, who is now 4-0 in her career vs. BG with in win each of the past four seasons. "It was fun. We have a strong senior class so we are excited about the season. The girls played really good defense and it was nice to get all the momentum from the hits. Every little bit of insurance helps."
Freveletti's sixth career homer came in the third inning and was also a 3-run blast.
Nine Vikings reached base, led by multiple hitters Gianni Arnieri (3-for-4, triple), Mazur (2-for-4, 3 RBI, double, home run), D'Ambrosio (2-for-2, 3 RBI, walk, double, home run), Freveletti (2-for-3, 3 RBI, home run) and No. 9 hitter Hannah Ban (2-for-3).
"While we had those three girls with the phenomenal home runs, Hannah Ban's at-bats were spectacular," said Fremd coach Josh Teschner. "She goes deep into the counts. She gets hits with two strikes and she's been fantastic all season."
Kehoe, Kaylee Goluch and Grace Stevens (2 walks, RBI) also had hits for Fremd, which took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first on D'Ambrosio's double to the right center field gap that drove home Arnieri and Stevens.
"We've been working really and offensively and defensively," said D'Ambrosio, a Missouri-Kansas City recruit. "It's nice to see it show up in this game."
Teschner likes how the hard work is paying off, too.
"We've had a few good weeks here where we've been able to put things together," he said. "We are seeing the ball really well from every pitcher we've faced. A lot of that is because the girls put in so much work last fall and this winter. They've worked so hard. They're all are dialed in."
Buffalo Grove's 2 hits were a leadoff double (right center) to start the game by junior shortstop Jacqueline Bickhaus and a single to left by sophomore third baseman Megan Fontanetta to lead off the fourth inning.
Senior Lauren Beiersdorf and junior Kylee Gucwa reached on walks for the Bison.
"Fremd is a very good team," said Bison assistant coach and former Northern Illinois infielder Alex Wulbecker. "They hit ball hard wherever they put it, so you've got to give them credit.
"This being our fourth game, I thought we did a good job staying confident. We just have to tune up the little mistakes and make sure we are doing the little things because they will cost you when you are playing the good teams."