Big first inning lifts Elgin over Hoffman

First-year Elgin softball coach Chad Dahlman couldn't have dreamed of a better first inning for the Maroons' season opener.

Junior Jennifer Fulton's grand slam jack to left-center field highlighted an 11-run first inning as the Maroons rolled to a 14-4 nonconference win over Hoffman Estates in Elgin Thursday.

Sophomore Hannah Perryman pitched 4 strong innings with 11 strikeouts. The first nine Hoffman Estates outs were all on strikeouts.

But with seven starters returning, the Maroons showed they will have more than the steady Perryman this season.

"We're more experienced and (senior) Kelly Patchett just got done saying that we really played as a team today, and that's the first time in four years," said Maroons senior shortstop Brandi Hernandez, a Miami of Ohio signee who ended the game on the slaughter rule with an RBI triple with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning.

"Today was a total team effort. Everybody was in the game. It's really exciting."

Meanwhile, a young Hoffman Estates team struggled but didn't quit. They were down to their final strike in the top of the fifth and extended the game when catcher Kelsey Pellus delivered a 2-run double.

"It's our first time out on the diamond and there were lots of jitters early," said Hawks coach Lindsey Hamma, whose team committed 4 of its 6 errors in the first inning. "I'm proud of them that they didn't give up and they fought back to extend the game. We didn't step up defensively to start the game. It's a whole new look out there."

Part of the Hawks' new look is in the pitchers circle, where juniors Emily Allan and Molly Mangione have taken over for the graduated Kaitlin Walsh, who now plays at Benedictine University.

"Emily missed most of last year injured and they're both juniors," Hamma said., "They'll get better."

Elgin gave Allan a rough introduction to varsity softball. Elgin was ahead 6-0 before Hoffman registered an out in the bottom of the first.

Hernandez (3-for-5) led off with a single, Hoffman made an error on Rachel Roth's bunt allowing Hernandez to get to third and she scored the first run on a wild pitch. Roth took third on a second wild pitch and scored on Perryman's fielder's choice grounder. Jaclyn Navarro drew a walk and Patchett beat out a bunt to load the bases. Fulton then teed off on a 2-1 pitch and Elgin led 6-0.

The Maroons scored five more times in the inning as Roth, Perryman, Navarro, Patchett and Fulton each added RBI.

"The first inning of my head coaching career ... you couldn't ask for much more than that," said Dahlman. "But it didn't surprise me. This group has been working really hard."

Pellus had 2 hits for the Hawks, who did manage 5 hits over the final 2 innings. Mangione allowed Elgin 3 runs on 6 hits in relief of Allan.