Fremd 3, Prospect 2

Dark skies prevailed for much of the time during Fremd's visit at Prospect on Friday afternoon.

But the day brightened for Fremd softball ace Lena Brottman when her Vikings put up 3 runs in the top of the second.

Brottman took care of the rest.

The sophomore right-hander (11-1) made the 3 runs stand up with a 4-hitter and 7 strikeouts as Fremd edged the Knights 3-2.

The game was called after 6½ innings when the Thor Guard was sounded for the second time in less than 30 minutes. But since five innings were in the books, it was an official Mid-Suburban League contest.

Fremd improved to 13-1 and 8-1 in the Mid-Suburban West, tied for first with Barrington while Prospect fell to 9-5 and 6-3 in the MSL East, 2 games behind leader Elk Grove.

Sophomore Kelly Voigt started Fremd's winning rally with a one-out single to center followed by classmate Jenny Schneider's base hit to right.

Senior Brittany Borst then singled to center.

Voigt came home to score and Schneider also made it home on an error on the play for a 2-0 lead.

Borst was able to take second base on the error and raced home moments later junior when Jessica Tackett capped the rally with a single to center.

"That was a huge at-bat by Jessica Tackett," said Fremd coach Jim Weaver. "She got down 0-2 and then battled back to make it 3-2. If she doesn't get that count back to 3-2, she doesn't get a good pitch to hit. Jessica made their pitcher throw the pitch she wanted."

Knights ace Sheri Weidner (9-5) got out of the inning with a pop to first baseman Mary Kate Ward and a strikeout. The senior right-hander finished with 8 strikeouts and no walks.

Prospect cut the deficit to 3-1 in the fourth when Amanda Mlikan singled home Cyndi Becker, who had opened the inning with a single down the left-field line and went to second on Ward's bunt hit.

The Knights added another run in the sixth when Becker (1-for-2, 2 runs) advanced to second on an infield error. She took third on Ward's groundout and came home on Mlikan's groundout.

The Vikings got out of the inning when second baseman Lauren Zaworski made a nice stop to her right on Paige O'Neil's hard grounder, then threw to Tackett for the out.

"I thought our base runners did a great job seeing where the ball was on the field and taking advantage of their mistakes," Tackett said of the play that made it 2-0 in the second inning.

"That one inning hurt us," said Knights coach Brenda Martin. "That's what we talk about. We need to execute all the time.

"We had out chances in the first inning. I thought Cyndi Becker did a great job on the bases and keeping us together from behind from plate."

Buffalo Grove 2, Conant 0: BG was leading 2-0 with one out in the bottom of the fifth when the game was called because of inclement weather.

Katie Lee was on third base and Stephanie Rudolfi was batting with one out.

Andrea DiPrima had 2 hits for the host Bison while teammates Katie Kowall (double, 1 run) and Stephanie Rudolfi (double) were other key hitters.

Bison freshman Emily Begnel had 5 strikeouts in five innings.

Lauren Erkman doubled for the Cougars .

Schaumburg 7, Rolling Meadows 1: Aly Poehlmann's 2-run homer over the center-field fence and Nicole Chase's RBI double highlighted a 5-run first for visiting Schaumburg (8-6, 4-5).

Caitlin Adair (2-for-3) and Bonnie Weglarz (2-for-4) led the Mustangs (5-8, 4-5).

Saxons ace Missy Anderson (7-4) threw a 6-hitter with 4 strikeouts.

Palatine 5, Wheeling 0 (5 innings): Anne Wcislo (5-4) 0) tossed 1-hitter with 4 strikeouts while Nikki Linares (2-for-3), Caitlin Carpenter (2-for-3, double) and Joanne Jablonski (2-for-3, 2 RBI) led the offense for Palatine (7-6, 5-4).

Pitcher Carly Speidel (2-9) was 1-for-2 for host Wheeling (2-11, 1-8) and struck out four.

Maine West 1, Glenbrook South 0:ΠCaryn McGinley's single brought home Emily Ott, who handled singled and taken second on a passed ball in the fourth inning for visiting Maine West (13-2).

Ott (9-1) threw a 1-hitter with 13 strikeouts and 1 walk to defeat Titans ace Pam Nicholson, a South Dakota State recruit.

Morton 4, Leyden 0: Amanda Moran (double) and Nicole Spisak were 2-for-4 for visiting Leyden (8-8). Dana Thomas (7-5 ) suffered the loss.