Perryman returns, Elgin stops Larkin

Elgin freshman pitcher Hannah Perryman had been on the shelf with a shoulder injury for the past week.

Larkin wished she'd have stayed there for at least one more day.

Perryman allowed the visiting Royals just 5 hits while striking out 10 as Elgin upended cross-town rival Larkin 4-2 in Upstate Eight Conference softball action at Elgin Tuesday.

"It means everything to beat Larkin," said, whose teammates filled her in on the depths of the rivalry. "I was really nervous, so I'm glad my teammates helped me out there."

Perryman said her shoulder soreness forced her to go from being a predominantly dropball pitcher to throwing straight heat. Perryman and her fastball didn't allow a run until No. 9 hitter Kelsey Lodge scored on Lexi Smithberg's RBI single in the third inning. Lodge would score Larkin's other run in the fifth, this time on catcher Victoria Nino's RBI single, but Perryman closed the Royals (3-6, 2-1) out allowing just 1 hit in the final two innings.

"That's a gutsy performance," Elgin coach Peg Corcoran said. "She came out today. She hasn't thrown in over a week, overhand or underhand. She made some great pitches."

Aiding Perryman was Elgin's 4-run first inning, which gave the Maroons a nice cushion to work with.

"That's tough to lose a game where we basically gave them 4 runs in the first inning," Larkin coach Larry Hight said. "We should have come out more aggressive."

Elgin (2-10, 1-2) was plenty aggressive in the first inning. The host Maroons jumped out to a 4-0 lead despite nailing just a single ball outside of the infield. Instead, Elgin focused on bunting to manufacture runs.

Shortstop Brandi Hernandez walked to open the inning and was quickly advanced on Caris Alan's sacrifice bunt. Perryman was hit by a pitch, setting up Jenna Jaynes' RBI single. Perryman then scored a batter later on Kelly Patchett's RBI single.

Jaynes and Patchett both scored off two separate wild pitches to give the Maroons a 4-0 advantage with just one out in the inning.

Then Smithberg (1-3) went lights out. The freshman did not allow Elgin to record another hit over the next five innings. After walking a pair of runners and hitting Jaclyn Navarro with a pitch in the second, Smithberg did not allow another runner until Alan reached first on an error to open the fifth. She then retired the final 6 Elgin batters in order.

Larkin did have a shot for some more scoring in the fifth, with Smithberg and Nino on first and second, respectively, and two outs. Megan Johnson then grounded out to end the inning. Perryman recorded 3 strikeouts in the sixth to prevent any sort of rally.