Wrap: Lingl displays veteran poise

About a month into the softball season, Schaumburg coach Erin Doyle liked what she saw from the bat of freshman left fielder Brianne Lingl.

So much so that the coach decided to put Lingl in the leadoff spot.

"She does well under pressure," Doyle said. "She is very composed for a freshman."

No one could disagree Tuesday.

With two outs in a scoreless tie against visiting Hersey in the fifth inning, Lingl laced a single to left center field to drive home Sarah McGinn for the game-winning RBI in a 2-0 Mid-Suburban League win.

An inning later, Nicole Chase sent a single up the middle to score Amy Poehlmann and that was plenty for Saxons ace Missy Anderson.

The junior right-hander (9-7) struck out a career-high 13 while tossing a 3-hitter.

"I knew I had to make contact," Lingl said of her big hit. "We needed at least 1 run for Missy. I find it easier to work under pressure."

Anderson also worked well under pressure.

"Brianne's a very good hitter and when we got that run, I knew I had to pitch even harder," Anderson said. "I had to make sure they didn't score on us."

Huskies senior Mallory Donoghue pitched well in defeat, striking out five while tossing a 4-hitter.

"Mallory is doing a great job," said Huskies coach Molly Freeman, whose club is 7-17 and 4-8. "But we can't score runs for her. We made costly errors and couldn't sacrifice runners past first base."

Maggie Tunney (bunt), Alyssa Kieffer and Arleene Morgenthaler had the hits for Hersey. McGinn had the game's only extra base hit when she doubled to left center to lead off the fifth.

She went to third when Nicole Benedict reached on an error and then came home on Lingl's two-out hit.

"Brianne has done awesome stepping up with the bat," said Doyle, whose team is 10-9 and 6-7.

Palatine 13, Conant 1 (5 innings): It was another day at the office for Nikki Linares, who went into the game leading the Pirates with 22 runs scored.

The senior speedster reached base in all four of her trips, belting a triple with 3 singles and scoring every time for 26 runs this spring.

"We knew we had to come out strong after a very emotional win over Barrington (the day before)," Linares said. "That was the first time our seniors had ever beaten Barrington."

Other key hitters for the Pirates were third baseman Amy Modic (2-for-3, sacrifice), Joanne Jablonski (2-for-4) and freshman Katie Mnichowicz (2-for-2).

"Everyone got a hit," Linares said. "Everyone contributed in some way. This is a good feeling."

Chrissy Roto earned the win, tossing a 3-hitter with 3 strikeouts and no walks.

"Chrissy got ahead of a lot of batters," said Pirates coach Jeff Manz. "And she established her changeup. That was key. She did not give up an earned run."

Lauren Erkman, Christina Shelfo and Georgia Kutramanes had the hits for the Conant (4-16, 1-12).

Fremd 10, Wheeling 0: Janelle Schroeder's single up the middle with one out in the first inning was the only hit off Fremd junior Casey Latal, who is undefeated in six decisions.

She struck out three as Fremd improved to 21-2 and 11-2 in the MSL West.

The Vikings collected 11 hits, led by Stacey Stutzman (3-for-3, 3 runs, RBI), Kelly Voigt (2-for-2, 3 runs, RBI, walk) and Alexa Cinquegrani (2-for-3, 1 run, RBI, home run, double).

Lauren Zaworski and Tess Dinterman also doubled for the winners against Wheeling (5-13, 2-10).

Buffalo Grove 7, St. Viator 4: Add another freshman to the Buffalo Grove roster.

And apparently another formidable one.

Rookie Danielle Brown (2-for-2, 2 RBI), who just joined the Bison roster to give them seven freshmen, belted a pinch-hit bases-loaded one-out single in the fifth inning for the game-winning RBI.

Freshman Andrea DiPrima (3-for-4, 2 doubles), freshman Mallory Smith (2-for-4), senior Stephanie Rudolfi (double) and junior Dayna George (2-for-3) were top offensive leaders for the Bison (14-10), which hosts MSL East leader Elk Grove today at 4:30 p.m.

Freshman Emily Begnel threw a 7-hitter for the Bison with 4 strikeouts. Classmate Maria Dax went the final inning with 2 strikeouts.

Freshman Julie Sweeney and senior Nikki Dumele had doubles for the host Lions.