Elk Grove 3, Prospect 1
The way the wind was blowing toward home plate at the Prospect softball diamond Wednesday, prognosticators would have said the odds were against any ball leaving the park.
But nobody told Kayla Mahoney.
The Elk Grove senior third baseman opened the top of the second inning with a line drive home run over the left field fence that sliced through the strong southerly wind.
It sparked a 3-run rally for the Grenadiers and proved to be all they would need behind sophomore Stephanie Maday's 1-hitter as they stopped Prospect 3-1 in the Mid-Suburban East softball showdown.
The Grenadiers (11-1, 4-0) took over sole possession of first place in the division by a half game in front of Prospect (7-3, 4-1).
It was Mahoney's third homer of the season.
"It was low and outside," Mahoney (2-for-3) said of her impressive home run clout. "I was just hoping it would be a double. I didn't think it'd go over the fence. I was just looking to get on base to start the inning."
A bloop single to right by freshman Jessica Balzano and an error on Amanda Mertes' grounder led to the second and third runs in the decisive second inning.
With the 3-1 cushion, Maday (8-0) took over.
After a one-out walk to Paige O'Neill to start the bottom of second, the right-hander retired the final 18 batters.
"We hit her (Maday) last year," said Prospect coach Brenda Martin. "So we'll be OK. This just wasn't our day. This wasn't our team so we know we have to work on things. I don't think we took Elk Grove for granted. We were just flat today."
Amy Varner started the bottom of the first with a bloop single, went to third when Cyndi Becker reached on an error and came home on Jessica King's bunt.
Besides Varner, the only Knight to hit the ball out of the infield was O'Neill as the game's last batter. Her apparent single to right was wiped out when Balzano fielded the grounder and threw to first baseman Stephanie Dolce to end the game.
"That was an amazing play by Jessica," Maday said. "We could not have done this today without our hits (7) and defense (no errors). The defense was so amazing."
Prospect's defense turned a nifty 5-3-5 double play in the third inning when third baseman Emily Logar fielded Olivia Roback's ground ball.
Logar threw to Mary Kate Ward at first. Then Ward fired back to Logar, who made the tag on the runner trying to go from first to third.
"That was a beautiful double pay," said Martin whose team's 7-game winning streak was snapped. "We'll be OK. We've just got to find our ground."
Nikki Goranson, despite a broken finger, went 2-for-4 for Elk Grove while teammates Roback (shortstop) and second baseman Jamie Campus also had hits.
Hoffman 1, Conant 0: Junior Colleen Roberts reached base on an error in the third inning and came home on a double by senior second baseman Jenna Pellus (2-for-3).
Junior Alex Wulbecker also went 2-for-3 for the host Hawks (2-8-1, 2-3).
Pellus, who underwent ACL surgery last year, made two diving plays up the middle for assists.
Kaitlin Walsh (2-6) struck out four for while tossing a 2-hitter over freshman Kailee Pasbrig (1-2), who gave up 4 hits for Conant (3-6, 1-4).
Barrington 10, Palatine 0 (5 inn.): Junior Maggie Sigwalt's 2-run single scored Kelsey Kuhn and Lindsey Dulla to end the game by the 10-run rule in the bottom of the fifth.
Devinne Wapotish (3-for-3, double, RBI), Kristin Kuhn (3-for-3, 2 RBI), Jessica McGurn (2-for-3, RBI) and Kiersten Tinkoff (2-for-3, double, RBI) led the offense for the host Fillies (13-2, 4-1).
Junior Kim Cygan (13-2) fired a 1-hitter with 7 strikeouts and no walks.
Joanne Jablonski's one-out single down the right field line in the fifth inning was the only hit for the Pirates. Junior Anne Wcislo (1-1) struck out four for Palatine (3-4, 2-2).
Meadows 4, BG 0:ΠCarissa Stewart threw a 5-hitter with 8 strikeouts for visiting Meadows, which was led on offense by Connie Porters (3-for-3, 1 run).
The Mustangs (4-4, 3-2) scored all their runs in the top of the sixth when they got 4 hits and took advantage of 3 errors.
Angela Mahanna, Porters, Maryclare Loughery and Caitlin Adair all crossed the plate as Porters had a 2-run single in the rally.
Andrea DiPrima struck out three for BG (3-7, 1-4).
Fremd 5, Schaumburg 0: Sophomores Kelly Voigt (2-for-3, 2 runs, RBI) and Jenny Schneider (2-for-3, RBI) led the offense for Fremd.
The Vikings (7-1, 4-1) remained tied for first with Barrington (4-1) in the MSL West.
Lena Brottman (6-1) picked up the win by tossing a 4-hitter with 9 strikeouts and 1 walk.
The sophomore right-hander got the only run she would need in the first inning. The Vikings tried a double steal and Alexa Cinquegrani made it home safely from third base.
Nicole Chase doubled for the host Saxons (6-3, 2-3), who received 6 strikeouts from junior ace Missy Anderson (6-3).
Wheeling 5, Hersey 1: Senior Annemarie Speizia (3-for-3, double, 2 stolen bases, RBI) Carly Speidel (2-for-4, 2 RBI) and Scout Scanlon (2-for-3, stolen base, 1 run, 2 RBI) led the host Wildcats (1-5, 1-4) to their first win in the MSL East.
Speidel threw a 3-hitter with 9 strikeouts and 1 walk.
Senior Mallory O'Donoghue struck out seven for Hersey (1-11, 1-4).
Glenbrook N. 9, Leyden 1:ΠJunior Nicole Spisak (2-for-3, double RBI) was the top hitter for Leyden (4-6, 0-1) in the nonconference game in Franklin Park.