Softball: Hersey's Luciano strikes out 15 in 7-0 triumph

No. 5 seeded Hersey advanced to the championship of the Class 4A Glenbrook South regional with a 7-0 shutout over No. 12 New Trier on Thursday in Glenview.

Huskies junior right-hander Brianna Luciano (12-5) fired a 2-hitter with a career-high 15 strikeouts as Hersey raised its record to 22-6 and will face No. 4 Libertyville in Saturday's 11 a.m. championship.

Luciano also went 2-for-3 at the plate with a triple and a double.

Other offensive leaders in the Huskies' 16-hit attack were Sarah Bailitz (2-for-4, triple), Hannah Graff (2-for-3, double), Makayla Tsagalis (3-for-4, double), Chloe Gordon (2-for-4, double), Jodi Hermann (2-for-4) and Renae Curtis (2-for-4).

Lake Park 6, Elk Grove 1: The No. 9-seeded Grenadiers (16-14) were led on offense by freshman Morgan Leach, who went 2-for-4 with a RBI double in the first inning against the No. 8 Lancers in the Schaumburg regional.

Olivia Masnica (1-for-2, 1 run) and Alexa Fontanetta (1-for-2) had the other hits for EG, which stranded 10 runners.

"We had chances," said EG coach Ken Grams. "We just didn't get the timely hits."

Sophomore Grenadiers pitcher Lauren Clausen (11-7) gave up 6 hits, struck out two and walked none.

Taft 3, Maine West 2: Lucia Rosales' RBI singled with one out in the bottom of the seventh broke a 2-2 tie and sent No. 8 Taft to Saturday's championship of the Maine West regional.

The No. 9 Warriors who finished at 15-10, were led on offense by Mayria Adams, who went 2-for-3 with an RBI.

Also getting hits for West were Allison Pearson, Brianna Torres (double), Amanda Byrne (double), Katelyn Aragon and Olivia Feldkamp. Warriors sophomore pitcher Jessica Steingard struck out two in 6⅓ innings.

Leyden 14, Maine East 0 (5 inn.): No 3-seeded Leyden won the Maine East Class 4A semifinal over the host and No. 15 Blue Demons. The Eagles will face No. 6 Maine South in Saturday's 11 a.m. championship.