Maday, Leazer a winning combo for Elk Grove

These Grenadiers are stingy.

Elk Grove's powerful softball team does not like to give up runs.

In fact, the Grens have allowed only 8 all season.

And none in the last 29 innings.

Junior Stephanie Maday (5-1) and senior Krystina Leazer (2-0) hooked up for a 1-hitter as the defending Mid-Suburban East champions blanked visiting Hoffman Estates 8-0 in a crossover contest Thursday.

The Grenadiers' first league win came one day after playing 11 innings with Fremd in game that was tied 0-0 when called because of darkness.

"This game was a lot different," said Grenadiers veteran second baseman Caitlin Garrison, who went 2-for-2 with 2 RBI and a walk. "We just wanted to stay hungry.

"It was tiring (against Fremd) but we wanted to come back and get a win under our belts."

Grenadiers coach Ken Grams warned his team to avoid complacency after such a tense game Wednesday.

"I told them they can't lose that fire, and they didn't," he said. "It took an inning or two to adjust to their (Hoffman) pitching, but the kids did."

Maday did not give up a hit in the first 4 innings, while Leazer only allowed an infield dribbler by Mary Hacker for Hoffman's only hit with two outs in the sixth.

"Our pitchers were wonderful," Grams said. "They did not give them much to hit. They kept the ball away from the sweet spots."

Maday struck out nine of the 14 batters she faced, while Leazer had 5 strikeouts.

"I like being ready to come in and try to continue what the starter is doing," said Leazer, who plans to play softball and volleyball at Carthage College in Kenosha.

The Grenadiers (11-1, 1-0) got all the runs they would need in the third inning.

Freshman Dani Goranson led off with a single to center. Maday laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt, and with heads-up baserunning, Goranson made it all the way to third base.

She came home on sophomore Jessica Balzano's single to center. Moments later, Balzano scored on Nikki Goranson's single to center.

Hoffman shortstop Colleen Roberts made a nice play to her left and threw to first baseman Taylor Mann to get pitcher Emily Allan out of the jam.

The Hawks (3-7, 0-2) also got a splendid catch by freshman left fielder Linden Fick, who robbed Nikki Goranson of extra bases with a tumbling grab just in front of the left-field fence in the fifth inning.

"Linden goes all out," said Hoffman coach Lindsey Hamma. "She doesn't let anything bother her. That catch definitely gave us a boost of adrenaline."

An alert Brittany Tranchita tagged up on the play and made it all the way home from second base. Garrison followed with her RBI double.

Elk Grove sealed the win with 4 runs in the sixth, getting a leadoff double from Olivia Roback and RBI singles by Leazer and freshman Devin Parkison (her first varsity hit).

"Give coach Grams credit," Hamma said. "They worked hard for their runs. It's tough when you let a team with their pitching get ahead of you. They had some key two-out RBI and we didn't hit well in the clutch. It all comes down to putting runs on the board, and we didn't do that."

Hamma liked the play of center field Hacker, who made all 3 putouts in the bottom of the sixth.

"Mary runs the bases well and makes things happen," the coach said.

Allan (1-4), only a sophomore, struck out three.

"I think it took them a little while to adjust to Emily's off-speed stuff," Hamma said. "She did a good job early keeping them off balance. And we played pretty solid defense behind her.

"We had a pretty solid five innings but a made a few miscues in the sixth and that is uncharacteristic of us. But I think we'll learn from it and come back a stronger team."

Barrington 5, R. Meadows 0: Kim Cygan (13-1) threw a 2-hitter with 13 strikeouts and 4 walks as the visiting Fillies improved to 14-1 and 2-0 in the MSL West.

Colleen Shandley (2-for-4) and Lindsey Dulla (2-for-3, walk) were top hitters for Barrington, while sophomore Kiersten Tinkoff belted her second home run of the season and also had a sacrifice fly.

Senior co-captains Maddy Urban and Libby Marsh had the only hits for Meadows (3-7, 1-1).

Fremd 9, St. Viator 0: Senior Casey Latal (3-0) had a perfect game for 52/3 innings and finished with a 1-hitter for the host Vikings (8-1), who received the fifth home run of the season by junior Jessica Tackett (2-for-4) and a double by classmate Lauren Zaworski.

Junior Kristine Werling went 2-for-2 with 3 stolen bases.

Maine West 10, Niles North 1: Visiting Maine West (8-7, 1-0) won its Central Suburban North opener as Emily Ott (8-3) fired her second straight no-hitter (14 strikeouts, 2 walks) and belted a home run.

Kaleigh McGing (2-for-3, 3 RBI) and Margo Ehorn each doubled for the Warriors while teammate Jenna Depa was 2-for-4 with 2 runs.