Bolin, South Elgin blank Elgin

Sam Bolin's response was simple when asked what was working for her in the pitchers circle Wednesday.

"Everything," she said.

Everything indeed seemed to be working as the South Elgin sophomore allowed just 2 hits and shutout Elgin. Elgin pitcher Hannah Perryman also had her stuff going, but a couple of timely hits gave South Elgin a 3-0 Upstate Eight Conference softball victory at Elgin.

Bolin finished the game with 8 strikeouts as South Elgin (5-5 UEC) has now won 7 of its last 8 games after opening the season up 1-9. Bolin cracked .500 on the season picking up her sixth victory to improve to 6-5.

"My pitches were all working," she said. "The defense was all behind me. It's the best I've felt in a while."

Whereas the defense was behind Bolin from the start, it took the offense a while to get going against the Maroons (9-16, 3-7). Perryman, also a sophomore, allowed just 2 hits through the first five innings, while striking out 11 South Elgin batters.

"Those are two of the best young pitchers in our conference," South Elgin coach Jason Schaal said.

South Elgin leadoff hitter Katelyn Stonecipher drew a walk from Perryman (8-7) to open the sixth and was quickly advanced on a sacrifice bunt from Caitlin Stredde.

Courtney Bosteder then got the first big hit of the game, smacking a double to left-center field to score Stonecipher and break a scoreless tie.

Not to be outdone, Courtney's twin sister Rae followed Courtney's double with a replica shot to left-center, but this time the ball cruised over the fence for a 2-run home run, putting the Storm up 3-0.

"I had my concentration on the ball," said Rae Bosteder, who had struck out in her first 2 at-bats. "I struck out a couple of times, but I battled with her. I drove it where my sister drove it."

South Elgin did manage another hit and walk in the inning, but Perryman got out of the inning by catching Shannon Conway looking. Perryman finished the game allowing 3 runs on 5 hits and striking out 13.

"They came up with their hits when they needed to," Maroons' coach Chad Dahlman said. "They put an inning together. You're not going to win many games with 2 hits."

Both of Elgin's hits came after the Maroons already had two outs, including a double from Jaclyn Navarro in the seventh. Evelyn Boje recorded a two-out single and Brandi Hernandez reached base on an error in the third, but Rachel Roth flew out to end the inning.

Although Hernandez reached base on an error, she failed to record a hit for the first time this season, seeing a 25-game hitting streak that dated back to the final game of the 2009 season come to an end.