LZ helps Warren into NSC title game
Lake Zurich’s softball team did Warren a favor Wednesday.
Behind pitcher Shannon McPeek’s 4-hitter, Lake Zurich shut out Zion-Benton 3-0 in North Suburban Lake Division action.
The loss was Zion-Benton’s third in the division. Warren (10-1) has one fewer divisional loss than Lake Zurich (20-8, 8-2), but the Blue Devils beat the Bears in both of their regular-season meetings. That means Warren will represent the NSC Lake in the conference championship game, regardless of whether it beats Libertyville in its divisional finale.
Against Z-B, Lake Zurich was led offensively by Kelly Neises (2-for-3, run, stolen base, sacrifice) and Maria Schroeder (1-for-2, stolen base, RBI, 2 sacrifices).
Libertyville 5, Stevenson 4: The host Wildcats forced extra innings with a run in the bottom of the seventh and won the North Suburban Lake game on a wild pitch in the eighth.
Emilie Teitz started the winning rally with a double.
Libertyville got 2 hits apiece from Taylor Oberman and Nicole Kruckman, each of whom also doubled.
Ali Castriano (2-for-3, walk) had a 2-run single for Stevenson in the first, and Cailin Rubenstein added an RBI double in a 2-run fifth, putting the Patriots up 4-2.
Carmel 9, Fenwick 2: Jenny Behan had a home run, single and 3 RBI for the Corsairs in their East Suburban Catholic Conference game.
Kathleen Felicelli was 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles, and Madeline Felipez contributed a double and 2 RBI for Carmel.
Vernon Hills 2, Wauconda 0: Megan Meline struck out 11 and allowed only 2 hits, as the visiting Cougars improved to 20-10 and 9-1 in the North Suburban Prairie Division.
Caitlin Sernett had half of Vernon Hills’ 4 hits and also stole 2 bases, while Jenn Claussen contributed a single and an RBI.
Grayslake North 23, Dundee-Crown 1: Jordyn Bowen’s 5-for-5 performance, which included a triple, led the Knights’ 23-hit attack in the Fox Valley Conference game.
Kristina Gandy (4 RBI) and winning pitcher Nikki Livengood (3 RBI) each went 4-for-5 for Grayslake North. Kelsey Borders was 3-for-5 with an RBI, while Kaley Buchman went 2-for-4 with 4 RBI. Jessica Davis and Marli Kram (2 RBI) had 2 hits each as well. Brooke Tracy contributed a single and 2 RBI.
Lakes 6, Deerfield 0: Kaela Bryant’s 2-run triple and Megan Massie’s RBI single highlighted a 3-run seventh to cap the Eagles’ scoring in their nonconference win.
Taylor Dishinger went the distance in the circle for Lakes, scattering 4 hits and striking out a pair. The Eagles added to a 1-0 lead in the fifth, getting an RBI double from Meghan Milewski and a run-scoring single from Massie.
Besides Massie, Sara Braden (double) and Jaime Dykstra also had 2 hits each for the Eagles.