Softball: Barrington, Elk Grove each split
Even when they trail late in a game, Barrington's softball players know one thing about their explosive offense.
Never say never.
Freshman Brynn Nevers delivered the dramatic 3-run walk-off homer that gave the Fillies a 10-8 triumph over Huntley in the first game of their own quadrangular on Saturday. Barrington then fell 5-4 in nine innings to Mundelein.
Nevers went 2-for-4 with 3 RBI and 2 runs.
Barrington began the decisive inning against Huntley trailing 8-6 when Ellie Wintringer led off with a walk. After a popout, Kendall Peterson walked. Samantha Murphy's RBI double brought home pinch runner Kate Winkelman and Peterson went to third setting up Nevers' first career homer to left-center at the Fields of Dreams.
Peterson was the Fillies' other multiple hitter, going 2-for-3 with her fourth homer in five games. The senior third baseman also had a double, 3 runs and 2 RBI.
Gina Magro also homered for the Fillies.
Senior ace Barbara Covek (4-1) earned the win, striking out three.
Wintringer (2-for-4, 2 RBI) and Jackie Albrecht each doubled for Barrington in the second game.
The loss ended a 20-game winning streak against Mundelein, dating back to a 1-0 regional championship loss on May 28, 2001.
Elk Grove splits: Elk Grove opened its season by showing it can score with two outs. Trailing Mundelein 11-9 in the bottom of the sixth, the Grens produced 4 runs after two were out to pull out a 13-11 triumph before dropping a 12-4 decision in their second game to Huntley. The dramatic sixth-inning rally in Game 1 saw the Grens collect 4 straight hits after two were out. It started with Lauren Clausen's RBI single, followed by Grace Engwall's RBI double and a 2-run homer to right field by Brooke Baldassarre. Clausen also had a 2-run homer for EG while Katia Pendowski belted a solo blast. AJ Trausch went 2-for-2 with a double. Winning pitcher Olivia Masnica (1-0) threw the final two innings, giving up no runs, no hits and striking out three for the win. Trausch (2-for-3) had a pair of homer run against Huntley, while Engwall had another double and Clausen went 2-for-4.