Blasts from Tackett, Schneider boost Fremd

Junior Jessica Tackett and sophomore teammate Jenny Schneider both picked Saturday to blast their first career home runs.

And both Fremd softball players did it in the first inning of different games of a n nonconference doubleheader sweep over visiting Crystal Lake South (6-5).

Schneider's first career homer was a grand slam in Vikings' 7-run first inning in Game 2 -- which they won 10-0 in five innings.

Tackett's 3-run blast to center capped a 6-run first inning in Game 1 -- as the Vikings also won 10-0 in 5 innings.

For the day, Schneider was 4-4 with 4 RBI, 3 walks and 3 runs scored.

The Vikings improved to 10-1.

Lena Brottman (8-1) earned the win in Game 1. The sophomore right-hander struck out seven and walked one while tossing a 2-hitter.

Alexa Cinquegrani (2-for-3, 1 run, RBI) and Kelly Voigt (2-for-3, 3 RBI, 1 run) were top hitters for Fremd, while teammate Brittany Borst contributed a double.

Casey Latal (2-0) picked up the win in Game 2. The junior tossed a 4-hitter with 3 strikeouts and no walks.

The Vikings had 12 hits, led by Kristine Werling (2-for-3, RBI, 1 run, double, stolen base), Cinquegrani (2-for-3, RBI, run), Borst (2-for-2, 2 runs, stolen base) and Schneider (3-for-3, 4 RBI, 1 run).

Sophomores Lauren Zaworski and Tess Dinterman also doubled for the Vikings, who share first place in the Mid-Suburban West with Barrington. Both teams are 5-1.

Elk Grove sweeps Hinsdale Central: Undefeated Mid-Suburban East leader Elk Grove improved to 15-1 with 3-0 and 13-3 (six innings) nonconference victories.

Stephanie Maday (10-0) faced 25 batters while throwing a 2-hitter with 8 strikeouts and no walks in Game 1.

The host Grenadiers were led by Amber Hane (2-for-2, double, 2 runs) and Jessica Balzano (1-for-2, 2 RBI).

Hane singled and later scored on a wild pitch in the first inning.

Balzano's sacrifice fly to right brought home Brittany Tranchita (bunt single) for the second run in the first.

Balzano's groundout to second drove in Hane, who had doubled, to make it 3-0 in the fifth.

Krystina Leazer (5-1 and 15-1 in her career) threw a 7-hitter with 4 strikeouts and no walks in Game 2.

Balzano (3-for-3, 3 runs, 3 RBI, 2 walks), a freshman, belted her first career homer, a blast over the center-field fence in the second inning with Amy Charewicz on base.

Olivia Roback also belted one over the fence in center in the fourth inning with Tranchita and Stephanie Dolce on base.

Nikki Goranson went 2-for-2 with 3 runs.

Palatine 3, Sterling 1: Junior ace Anne Wcislo (3-1) went 2-for-3 with a triple and threw a 5-hitter with 5 strikeouts in the nonconference win for Palatine (5-4).

Freshman Katie Mnichowicz (2-for-2), senior Nikki Linares (2-for-3) and senior Caitlin Carpenter (2 RBI) also paced the offense.

Carpenter had a sacrifice fly in the first and an RBI groundout in the fifth. Wcislo's triple brought home Bre Quaritsch, who had doubled in the fourth inning.

Joanne Jablonski and Kate Wildman had hits for Palatine.

Buffalo Grove splits: Host Buffalo Grove (4-9) dropped the opener 4-3 and won the second game 5-3 in nonconference action against visiting Niles West.

Freshman pitcher Andrea DiPrima (2-4) struck out seven in Game 1 and went 2-for-3 at the plate with a double, RBI and run. Teammate Stephanie Rudolfi also doubled.

Freshman Maria Dax (2-3) earned the win in Game 2. She struck out three and walked one.

The Bison scored all 5 of their runs with 7 hits in the fifth inning.

Katie Lee, Rudolfi, Danni Shapiro, Emily Begnel, Lexi Bueno, Mallory Smith and K. C. Dunne all had hits in the decisive inning.

Wheeling, Glenbrook North split: Wheeling won the opener 2-0 behind Carly Speidel's 2-hitter with 6 strikeouts.

Sophomore Tori Menelle belted an RBI triple in the fourth inning to score courtesy runner Kara Giordano.

The Wildcats added a run in the fifth when Scout Scanlon reached on a slap hit, stole second, took third on an overthrow and came home on Annemarie Speizia's groundout to shortstop.

The Spartans won 12-10 in Game 2, scoring 10 runs in the final three innings.

Speizia (2-for-3, double), 2 walks, RBI, run), Speidel (2-for-3, 2 RBI, 2 walks, 2 runs), Tori Menelle (2-for-3, double, triple, 2 RBI, 2 runs) and Becky Menelle (triple, 2 RBI, run) paced the offense for the Wildcats (2-8).

Leyden , Maine South split: Sophomore Dana Thomas (5-4), coming off a 1-0 nine-inning marathon win over Addison Trail less than 24 hours earlier, earned an 8-4 nonconference victory in Game 1 by striking out four.

Thomas also ripped a 2-run homer to left center in the fifth inning

Sophomores Ciara Mackey (2-for-4, 1 RBI) and Caley Murphy 3-for-4, 2 RBI) led the Eagles.

Maine South won 1-0 in Game 2.

Leyden freshman Amanda Moran (1-3) gave up 5 hits with no walks and no strikeouts.

"She got a lot of groundball outs," said Leyden coach Kurt Schuett of his 5-foot-1 rookie. "I thought she did real well."

Leyden (6-7) had only 1 hit in the game, a two-out single to right-center by Murphy in the fourth inning.

Hawks junior pitcher Cathy Cathy Czerwionka struck out 17 and walked six.

"Our kids said she was real good," Schuett said. "She had a great rise ball. It took us a long time before we stopped chasing it, maybe like two times through the order. That's her pitch. And she can throw hard."

Schuett said Eagles' junior shortstop Nicole Spisak had four diving catches, collecting 6 putouts and 4 assists in the game.

Maine South's run came on a throwing error in the fifth inning.

Marian Catholic sweeps St. Viator The Lions (1-8, 0-4) lost 17-9 and 8-2 in the East Suburban Catholic Conference doubleheader against Marian Catholic (8-3, 4-1) in Arlington Heights.