Softball notes: Freshmen providing spark for Grayslake North; Mundelein’s Pyke swinging hot bat

The Grayslake North softball youth has gone wild.

Coach Amanda Rodriguez has 5 freshmen on the varsity hitting a combined .403 — those efforts contributing to the Knights starting the week 9-3 and 3-0 in Northern Lake County Conference action, riding an overall 5-game winning streak.

In fact, North already has more wins by mid-April than it did all of last year.

Freshmen Brena Dalton (.484 hitting, 3 doubles, 2 triples) and Kendall Joy (.444, 3 doubles, 1 triple) and senior Lauren Gaeding (.455, 1 home run) lead the way offensively, while freshman pitcher Riley O’Brien has 51 strikeouts in 32 1/3 innings and also is hitting .381. Freshman pitcher Grace Hoker has been strong in the circle as well and is hitting .324.

Antioch update: The Sequoits put together a 4-game winning streak recently (4-6 overall, 1-0 NLCC to start the week), which included a sweep of Yorkville in a doubleheader.

Alyna Matarieh is leading Antioch with a .444 batting average and a .531 on-base percentage. Claire Schuyler has a team-best 8 extra-base hits, including 2 triples and 2 homers. Sam Hilner has 3 doubles and 2 home runs to go with a team-high 13 RBI and is tied for the team lead in runs scored with nine.

Pitcher Lillie Glenn picked up 2 wins last week, including a complete-game shutout, while Addison Osborne has pitched well in relief, also picking up 2 wins last week. Osborne pitched 2 perfect innings against Huntley, 4 innings with 6 strikeouts against Wauconda and 2 shutout innings against Yorkville, all in relief. After closing out Game 1 against Yorkville, she pitched a complete game and earned the win in the nightcap.

“Lillie has done a nice job in her last 4 starts keeping us in the ballgame,” coach Anthony Rocco noted. “Addison has done a good job in relief. It was impressive as a freshman to throw 9 innings in 2 games against a strong Class 4A team. Lillie having varsity experience and pitching from the left side and Addison picking up strikeouts from the right side has become an effective 1-2 punch for us. They both did a better job eliminating walks in the last week.”

Addison Webb (.500 hitting, 3 doubles, 5 RBI) and Tegan Schuler (.462, 3 doubles, 5 RBI) both had hot hands during a recent 4-game run.

Rocco also likes the depth he has on this team, case in point a recent game against Warren where Mia Bellucci went 3-for-3 with a double and Jenna Williamson went 2-for-3.

Rocco said after playing state powers Lockport and Huntley, things have continued on an upward trend. “We played both close and since then have played better in all phases of the game,” he said. “Statistically since those games, it’s been a huge improvement.”

Carmel Catholic update: Carmel started the week riding a 6-game winning streak (including wins over Libertyville and Wauconda by a combined 30-12 count).

In her first 8 games, Grace Brown hit .704 with 6 doubles, 7 home runs and 23 RBI. Grace King hit .625 with 6 doubles, 5 homers and 21 RBI for the Corsairs (7-1, 2-0 East Suburban Catholic).

Coach Nicole Parney also has been pleased with Kate Buckingham’s play in center field and Ali Rice’s efforts in the circle. “Kate is holding down the outfield in center making great plays,” she said. “She has really good range and reads the ball well off the bat. Ali has had success in the circle. She’s pounding the zone and keeping hitters off balance.”

Parney said team chemistry also has factored into the hot start. “The girls have come together, which allows us to play more cohesively,” she said. “The team has tightened up the defense, but also has continued to produce and manufacture more runs on offense.”

Grayslake Central update: Emma Andrews is off to a hot start for the Rams (4-5, 1-1 NLCC), hitting .567 with 17 hits, 5 doubles, a triple, 2 homers, 10 RBI and 18 runs scored. Kate Davies has a team-best 7 home runs and 19 RBI. Junior second baseman Keira Clark, coach Jim Plaza noted, has stepped up big, hitting .500 and is tied for the team lead in doubles with five (she also has 2 homers and 11 RBI), mostly from the ninth spot in the lineup. Junior outfielder Angela Ayala is hitting .455 with 3 doubles, 6 runs scored and 5 RBI.

Central scored 91 runs on 112 hits (46 extra-base hits) through its first 9 games.

Pitcher Annie Wolff has 17 strikeouts in 20 innings of work.

“The team has battled through injuries and comes to practices and games every day ready to work and improve,” Plaza said. “The energy on the team has been positive, the girls do not make excuses, and they have embraced the ‘next person up mentality.’ We have also had several pitchers stepping up when needed, which has kept us in every game we have played.”

Lake Zurich update: The Bears (3-9-1, 1-1 North Suburban) have been led by leadoff hitter and middle infielder Kendall Hull (.521 hitting, 1.000 fielding) and third baseman/catcher Claire Kohlman (.489 hitting).

“Kendall has been a great leadoff hitter and has been solid defensively at second base and shortstop,” coach Nicole Pieper said. “Claire is another batter at the top of our lineup who sees the ball well and has been doing a great job at third base.”

Freshman pitcher Juliana Kekstadt was pulled up from the JV team after a varsity pitching staff injury. During a recent 4-game stretch, Kekstadt hit .429 with a double and a homer and was the winning pitcher against Prospect (11-3 win).

Libertyville update: The Wildcats went 4-1 last week to bump up to 6-3 overall and 1-1 in North Suburban play.

Taylor Higham (.500 hitting), Zoe Kinsella (.382, 4 home runs), Maddy Kleeman (.355, 9 RBI) and Emily Psyhogios (6-for-12 with 2 homers during recent 3-game sample) have been offensive stalwarts. Interim coach Dar Townsend noted 6 different players hit a home run last week with Higham and Psyhogios each hitting two, while Kinsella, Siena Zombolo, Bella Zelenka and freshman Juliana Figurelli each hit one.

“We have had contributions from the whole team,” Townsend said. “We have done a better job of having good at-bats.”

In the circle, Higham, Zombolo and freshman McKenna Weaver each collected a win last week.

Mundelein update: The Mustangs continue to roll, sporting a 10-2 overall mark (3-0 North Suburban) at week’s start. Mundelein downed Libertyville, Stevenson and Zion to start conference play.

Sophomore Taylor Pyke leads the team in home runs (6), which included a 3-run game-winning bomb against Libertyville. Junior Kieley Tomas has scored 24 runs, while Claire Connelly leads the team with more than 20 RBI.

Coach Heather Ryan said the play of freshmen Sarah Benes, Avi Perez and Makayla Mendoza has helped recently. “Sarah has built consistency at catcher and had 2 home runs against Libertyville,” she said. “Avi has been a spark plug in our lineup, providing key hits in big situations. Makayla has been an excellent option at third base with her quickness and athleticism.”

Mundelein currently has 5 players hitting over .400. Injuries in the circle have been combated by JV pitcher Bella Vega, Connelly (first baseman) and Tomas (an outfielder), Ryan noted.

Stevenson update: The Patriots got off to a strong 9-3 overall start (2-1 in North Suburban action). Stevenson trailed 9-2 to New Trier and won with a Jasmine Lucero triple tying the game and Makenna Jacobson’s single winning it (10-9).

Senior catcher-third baseman Sophia Becker is hitting .485, while senior pitcher-first baseman Aubrey Jepson is hitting .452. During a recent 4-game stretch, Jepson had 6 hits, 2 doubles, 2 triples, a home run and 9 RBI. “Aubrey had some big, clutch hits in recent games, driving in key RBI,” coach Vera Pflugradt said.

Junior pitcher Ava Potempa entered the game in relief against New Trier in the fourth inning and picked up the win and also struck out 11 in a league loss to Mundelein. “Ava saved the game against New Trier and had a great outing against Mundelein,” Pflugradt noted.

Vernon Hills update: Cate Pangilinan (.385 hitting), Lindsey Syrusis (.361 batting), Izzy Lobien (.322 batting) and Gia Gossett have been key offensive cogs for the Cougars (2-11 overall to start the week). Assistant coach David Doerhoefer noted Pangilinan hit .400 (1.003 on-base plus slugging) while Gossett hit .400 during a recent stretch. “Both players have settled into their positions in the batting order and are feeling more comfortable and are starting to produce,” he said.

Doerhoefer added the youthful Cougars are starting to turn the corner. “We are a very young team and have been making inexperienced mistakes, but as of late the hitting has been heating up and the kids in new positions are becoming more comfortable with the intricacies of the positions and our defense has started to solidify,” he said.

Wauconda update: The Bulldogs (3-14, 0-3 NLCC) are led at the plate by sophomore Madison May (.490, 25 hits, 10 doubles, 3 home runs, 21 RBI). During a 5-game run, May, Ellary Nick, Aubrey Fetingis and Alyssa Threde combined for 27 hits, 4 home runs and 16 RBI. “Madison, Ellary, Aubrey and Alyssa have provided a spark to the offense of late,” coach Tim Orisek said.

Orisek said the team’s youthful pitching staff continues to progress. “Our pitching staff is young, but working hard on getting better with every opportunity in the circle against good competition,” he said.