Palatine 15, Schaumburg 1

Palatine's softball team "slapped" the ball around the park pretty well Friday afternoon, collecting 15 hits in a 15-1 victory over visiting Schaumburg.

And it all started with a slap inside-the-park-home run.

Senior centerfield and slap-hitter Niki Linares opened the bottom of the first inning by lining the ball to the right-center field gap. She hustled around the bases for her first career homer and 1-0 lead.

The Pirates (4-4, 3-2) went on to add 3 more runs in the first and their starting lineup finished the 5-inning game 15-of-28 at the plate.

"I'm really proud of everyone because we bounced back so well from our last game (10-0 loss at Barrington on Wednesday)," Linares said. "Every single person in our starting lineup got a hit.

"I felt the ball hit the sweet spot of my bat (for the home run). When I saw coach (Jeff) Manz waving his arm, I just kept running and it felt good when I crossed home plate."

Amy Modic (2-for-4, double), Caitlin Carpenter (2-for-3, double, RBI), Breanne Quaritsch (2-for-3, 3 RBI double, RBI), Katie Mnichowicz (2-for-3, 2 RBI) and Stephanie Roto, (2-run triple) led the Pirates' offense.

Heather Zimmerman (2-run double), Joanne Jablonski and Anne Wcislo also had hits. Wcislo (2-1) threw a 3-hitter with 4 strikeouts.

"I'm proud of the kids," Manz said. "They had a lot of energy today and never quit. It seems our bats and gloves go hand-in-hand. One affects the other. We're looking for more consistency with both. And Anne (Wcislo) is getting back to form."

Aly Poehlmann, Nicole Benedict and Shannon Giovannone had the hits for Schaumburg (6-4, 2-4).

"Our defense can't collapse when we make 1 error or mistake," said Saxons coach Erin Doyle, who went with Heather Gustafson (1-1) on the mound in the first inning and Missy Anderson the final three.

"We need to get composure and play the game the way we know how," she added. "Palatine is a good team and they hit the ball hard. They took advantage of every opportunity we gave them."

Fremd 4, Hoffman Estates 0: Brittany Borst's 2-run homer over the left-center field fence capped the scoring in the third inning as sophomore Lena Brottman (7-1) recorded a 3-hit shutout with 10 strikeouts and 1 walk.

Vikings leadoff batter Kristine Werling went 4-for-4 with 2 doubles, 1 run, 1 stolen base and an RBI.

The sophomore led off the bottom of the first with a double and went to second on Stacey Stutzman's sacrifice bunt. Werling scored on Alexa Cinquegrani's groundout.

The Vikings made it 2-0 in the second when Jenny Scheider led off with a single, went to second on Jessica Tackett's sacrifice bunt, stole third and scored on Werling's infield hit.

Schneider (2-for-3) also tripled off the centerfield wall as Fremd (8-1, 5-1) remained tied for first in the MSL West with Barrington.

Colleen Roberts doubled for the visiting Hawks (2-9-1, 2-4), who received 3 strikeouts from junior ace Kaitlin Walsh.

Meadows 5, Wheeling 1: Seniors Connie Porters (1-for-2, double, 3 RBI) and Angela Mahanna (1-for-3, 2 RBI) led the offense for host Meadows (5-4, 4-2), which received a 2-hitter from Carissa Stewart (4-4).

Senior Carly Speidel (1-5) tossed a 3-hitter for Wheeling (1-6, 1-5).

Barrington 2, Conant 0: Junior Kim Cygan (14-2) threw a 2-hitter for visiting Barrington (14-2, 5-1) with 10 strikeouts.

Freshman Kailee Prasbrig struck out four for the Cougars (3-8, 1-5) while tossing a 6-hitter.

Lindsey Dulla scored Barington's first run in the third inning when she singled down the left field line and made it all the way home on errors.

In the fifth, Barrington added an insurance run when Jessica McGurn singled with two outs and went to second on Kristin Kuhn's single. Both runners moved up a base on a passed ball, before pinch runner Kelly Kantarski scored on a fielder's choice.

Lauren Erkman and Amberly Ward had the hits for Conant.

Prospect 10, Hersey 0: Visiting Prospect (8-3, 5-1) received a 4-hitter from senior Sheri Weidner (8-3) with 7 strikeouts and one walk.

Amy Varner (2-for-2, double), Amanda Mlikan (2-for-4, double), Emily Logar (2-for-4, double), Cyndi Becker (2-for-4, triple) and Katie Dillon (double) led the offense for Prospect, which scored 7 runs in the seventh inning.

Elk Grove 8, BG 2: Amanda Mertes (3-for-4, 2 runs), Stephanie Dolce (2-for-4, double, 2 runs), Nikki Goranson (2-for-3, 1 run) and Olivia Roback (2-for-2, home run, 2 RBI) led the offense for host Elk Grove (12-1, 5-0), which stands atop the MSL East.

The host Grenadiers scored 5 in the first, capped by Roback's 2-run homer over the left field fence.

Amber Hane also doubled for Elk Grove.

Stephanie Maday (9-0) earned the win, throwing 5 innings and striking out seven. Krystina Leazer went the final two, striking out two.

Freshman Andrea DiPrima doubled for the Bison (3-8, 1-5), whose top hitters were freshman K.C Dunne (2-for-4, 1 run) and junior Meg Miller (2-for-3, 1 run).

Maine West 6, Niles North 0: Jackie Janecek (3-for-5, double, triple, 2 RBI), Emily Ott (3-for-3, 2 doubles), Michelle Braun (2-for-4) and Caryn McGinley (double) led the offense for visiting Maine West (10-2, 3-0) in the Central Suburban North game.

Ott (8-1) threw a 2-hitter with 13 strikeouts and 1 walk.

Leyden 1, Addison Trail 0 (9 innings): Leyden (5-6, 1-1) defeated host Addison Trail for the first time in Kurt Schuett's three seasons as the Eagles coach.

Sophomore Dana Thomas threw a 4-hitter with 6 strikeouts in the West Suburban Gold contest.

Nicole Spisak went 2-for-4 and scored the winning run when she singled, stole second and came home when senior Lauren Sullivan reached on an error.