Judson plays long ball, stays perfect in CCAC
Hammering 6 home runs, Judson University's softball team swept a CCAC softball doubleheader from Calumet College and improved to 4-0 in the CCAC and 12-6 overall Wednesday at the Elgin Sports Complex.
Judson took the first game 6-4 and then won 4-2 in Game 2. Larkin graduate Deb Leganski hit 3 home runs in all 3 at-bats in the first game with 4 RBI.
Judson also learned Wednesday it has earned the No. 3 ranking in NAIA Region VIII, the highest ranking the program has achieved in coach Becky Bruns' 4 years at the helm.
"These girls have worked hard and I'm just super excited for them," said Bruns. "It's neat for them to see all their hard work pay off."
Judson 6, Calumet 4: Calumet College came out swinging in the first inning as it scored three runs for a 3-0 advantage. Judson picked up a run in the bottom of the second inning when Leganski hit the first of her 3 three home runs to make it 3-1.
In the top of third inning, Calumet scored another run for a 3-run lead, 4-1, only to see the Eagles cut the lead to one, 4-3, in the bottom of the inning. Nicole Dimiceli scored the first run on a wild pitch and then Leganski smashed her second bomb of the day.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Lizzy Jacobson singled home Dimiceli to tie the game at 4. With the game tied, Calumet put in relief pitcher Ana Liptack but she could not solve Leganski as Leganski lifted her third home run of the game to take a 6-4 lead which led to the win.
Jacobson earned the win as she improved to 4-2 on the year with 4 strikeouts.
Judson 4, Calumet 2: Aimee Ewert went the distance against Calumet in Game 2 and recorded 8t strikeouts. She started the game by getting the first three batters out. Judson then scored a run in the bottom of the first inning as Amy Meier hit the fourth home run of the game leading off the inning.
Calumet tied the game in the top of the fourth inning only to see Judson add 3 runs in the bottom of the inning. Jacobson started off the inning with a home run and then four batters later, Rachel Pope peeled off the sixth home run of the day with a clutch2-out hit to make it 4-1.
In the top of the fifth inning, Calumet added a run but that is as close as it would get.
Judson will now face No. 17 Olivet Nazarene University today in Bourbonnais, Ill. Olivet is the top-ranked team in Region VII.
-- John Radtke
Boys tennis
D-C's Williamson notches 100th win: Dundee-Crown senior boys tennis standout Mike Williamson went over the 100 career win plateau by going unbeaten at the Warren Invitational in Gurnee Wednesday.
Williamson won all 4 of his contests to move to 5-0 on the young season.
Williamson's 6-0, 6-0 triumph over Zion-Benton was his 100th career high school win. His career mark now stands at 103-18.
Williamson also scored wins against players from Lakes (6-0, 6-2), Mundelein (6-0, 6-1) and Warren (6-0, 6-0).
The 6-foot-4 Williamson went 29-9 as a freshman, 33-7 as a sophomore and was 36-2 last year. He went into the 2007 state meet unbeaten at 33-0. Williamson sports a career 7-6 mark in 3 state finals appearances and has 2 sectional titles and 1 sectional runner-up finish to his credit.
Williamson, who is ranked highly in the USTA's Midwest Northern Illinois 18s division, won the Fox Valley Conference No. 1 singles title as a junior last season.
Dundee-Crown went 3-1 on the day at Warren. The Chargers blanked Zion-Benton, Mundelein and Warren by 5-0 scores and lost to Lakes by a 4-1 count.
--Mike Miazga
Baseball
Vienna 8, Westminster 5: The Warriors opened their spring trip with a loss to downstate Vienna. Ryan Donahue took the loss on the mound for Westminster. Ben Palmer had a home run and 2 RBI for the Warriors while Cory Hodge was 2-for-4.
Cary-Grove 3, Deerfield 0: The Trojans moved to 3-0 on the season with this nonconference win. Ben Mottashde picked up the win for C-G, allowing 2 runs on 4 hits with 4 strikeouts and a walk in 5 innings. Kyle Williams and Keegan Mascarella each had doubles for the Trojans.
West Aurora 14, Larkin 4: Jake Kane's home run was the bright spot for the Royals (1-2) in this nonconference loss. David Schue was the losing pitcher.
ACC 5, Hampshire 1: James Goebbert, Zach Crinigan and Matt Kuefner each had doubles but the Whip-Purs committed 5 errors in this season-opening loss to Aurora Central Catholic. Ryan Burke was 2-for-4 for Hampshire and Brandon Gehringer suffered the loss on the mound.
Prairie Ridge 8, Romeoville 0:: Mike Heesch, T.J. Swank and Ross Vance combined on a 1-hitter with Heesch (3 IP, 7 Ks, 1 BB) getting credit for the win as the Wolves rolled to this nonconference win. Nick Martini had a triple for the Wolves while Nolan Jacoby was 3-for-5 with 2 RBI and Logan Olson 2-for-4.
Girls soccer
Mundelein 1, Burlington Central 0: Kim DeRaedt had 25 saves in goal but the Rockets (0-2) couldn't find the back of the net in this loss at the Lake Park tournament.