Parkison’s bat sparks Elk Grove
Elk Grove senior Devan Parkison does a little more with her lunch break each day than have a sandwich.
She also takes a few cuts with the softball bat while facing some live pitching.
Her extra work at lunch has helped make dinners taste a little better this week.
Two days after going 4-for-4 against Hoffman Estates, Parkison helped spark the Grenadiers’ offense in a 5-2 win over visiting Fremd on Wednesday by going 3-for-4 with a double.
In her last at-bat, Parkison’ sharp fly out to center ended a streak of 9 hits in 9 official at-bats.
“She is tuned in right now,” said Elk Grove coach Ken Grams, whose team improved to 9-2 and 2-0 in the Mid-Suburban East. “She is hitting the ball so well.”
Parkison was also catching the ball on Tuesday, receiving a 3-hitter from Grens ace Dani Goranson (6-2).
“Dani always pitches well,” Parkison said. “We always feel comfortable with her out there.”
Parkison has been feeling comfortable in the batter’s box.
“I’ve just been working real hard at it during lunch (at the Illinois Bash warehouse a few miles away) and after practices,” she said.
As usual, Goranson was working hard on the mound, striking out eight and walking only two.
The Michigan State bound senior got a 1-0 lead in the second inning when junior Elisa Payne (2-for-4) singled to left to drive home sophomore Becca Maher.
A one-out RBI single from Becca Walz (2-for-4) in the third brought home Megan Keegan (2-for-4), who had reached on an error.
The defending MSL East champs extended the lead to 4-0 in the fifth when Krista Soesbe (2-for-4), Walz and Payne (bunt) led off with singles to load the bases.
Fremd senior Rachel Doering (6-2) got the next two batters on a pop to shortstop Leigh Farina and a fielder’s choice when shortstop Soesbe fired home to Parkison for the putout.
But Goranson reached on an error bringing home 2 runs before the potential third one was thrown out at the plate with catcher Janelle Schneider making the tag.
Fremd (11-3, 1-1) got its 2 runs in the top of the sixth.
Farina led off and hit the first pitch over the center field fence for her third home of the season.
Michelle Mazur walked and came home on Megan Hubbard’s one-out double to right center to cut the lead in half.
In the bottom of the inning, Elk Grove got 1 run back when Soesbe singled to left to score pinch runner Marjorie Sloan.
“That was a big hit by Krista after they had gotten those 2 runs in the top half the inning,” Grams said. “It was big to break that momentum.”
Fremd senior second baseman Megan Hubbard went 2-for-2 with a hit by pitch and RBI.
“I was really happy with our at-bats and Rachel (2 strikeouts, no walks) pitched great,” said Fremd coach Jim Weaver. “Rachel executed everything we called.
“But we didn’t play defense the way you’re supposed to against Elk Grove. And that is very uncharacteristic of us. We’ve been playing great defense all season so I’m not too worried. It was just one of those days.”
Elk Grove is already the only team in the MSL East without a loss.
“The West has a lot of good teams,” Grams said. “And (Fremd) certainly is one of them. So it’s good cashing in on one here.”