Elk Grove coach Grams grabs win No. 686

Thirty years ago, Elk Grove's Ken Grams wouldn't have believed it.

But 686 wins later, he is the second winningest coach in Illinois softball history, trailing only St. Joseph-Ogden coach Randy Wolken, who began the season with 752 wins.

Grams notched the milestone which moved him past previous runner-up Barb Burke of Lockport (685 wins from 1973 to 2002) with an 8-0 nonconference victory over visiting Glenbard East on Tuesday.

Winning sophomore pitcher Dani Goranson (5-1) and senior Stephanie Maday (4-1) combined for 17 strikeouts and a 3-hitter as the host Grens improved to 9-2.

"The best part of it is that after 30 years, I'm still enjoying it," said Grams, who also served as the school's head boys basketball coach and has announced every football game played at the high school.

"When I look back at when they first asked me if I'd be interested in doing the job and the sport was still in its infancy, who would have thought 30 years later I'd still be doing it and loving every minute of it? I'm still infatuated with it. I love working with the kids and still being around the sport."

With a record of 686-197, the Northern Illinois University and Arlington High graduate Grams has coached in nearly 900 varsity softball games.

Rebecca Walz (3-for-4, RBI), Jessica Balzano (2-for-4, 3 RBI, double), Devan Parkison (2 RBI, double), Megan Keegan (2-for-4) and Krista Soesbe (double) led the Grens' offense.

Goranson struck out nine in the first 4 innings, while Eastern Illinois recruit Maday recorded 8 strikeouts in the last 3 innings.

St. Viator 8, Hersey 1: Julie Sweeney did just about everything but serve as the Lions' bat girl at Hersey.

The junior belted a home run, double, 2 singles and collected her team's first 4 RBI.

Oh yes, she also was the winning pitcher in the Lions' 8-1 victory over the Huskies.

Sweeney's 2-run blast over the center-field fence in the first inning was her fourth homer of the season, tying the school's single-season mark.

"We definitely needed this after Monday (16-3 and 5-3 losses at Joliet Catholic)," Sweeney said. "We want to win the rest of our games this week, too. This shows what we can really do."

"We wanted to come out hard this game and show what we could do because Monday was not the team we are all about at all," said Lions senior leadoff batter Abby Dickey, who was 2-for-4 with a double and 3 runs. "This was a great way to come back because we lost to them them last season (9-3)."

Bridget Urbanus, Alexandra Flasch, Amanda Presslak and Melanie Slawny, who retired all six batters she faced in the final two innings, also had hits for the Lions (8-3).

"This was a test for us after Monday's games," said Lions coach Dan Twarog, whose team is now 4-0 against Mid-Suburban League teams (Palatine, Buffalo Grove and Prospect) this spring. "And the kids responded tremendously."

Sweeney, who struck out seven, did not give up a hit until Kim Ferraro's single to center with two outs in the third inning. Danielle Becker and Valerie Burke had the other hits for Hersey (3-8).

Huskies pitcher Aubrey Fulton struck out six.

"This was definitely Aubrey's best outing," said Huskies coach Molly Freeman. "I just don't think we played with a lot of heart. We did not have a lot of emotion and that's tough to say when you have seven seniors.

"St. Viator is a good team. But we are playing again like we did at the start of the season, which was not our best softball."

Allyson Joyce collected her first varsity hit for the Lions Jennie Michalak saw her first varsity catching duties in the final two innings as Twarog used 15 players.

Rolling Meadows 10, Fenton 0: Freshman Sara Brunlieb (3-0), a three-sport athlete, fired a 5-hitter with 3 strikeouts as the host Mustangs improved to 5-3.

Junior Abby Matayka (2-for-3) and sophomore Ellie Morgan (2-for-3) were multiple hitters for Meadows, while senior second baseman Maryclare Loughery (1-for-2, 2 walks) extended her hitting streak to 25 games.

Teammate Sam Anderson (freshman) collected 3 RBI while sophomore Josie Suchecki had 2.

Conant 3, Maine South 0: Kailee Prasbrig (4-0) struck out two as the winning pitcher for host Conant (10-1) in the nonconference game.

Miranda Cavin (2-for-3, triple, RBI), Paige Ward (RBI, double) and Hilary O'Donnell (double) helped lead the Cougars' offense.

New Trier 2, No. 1 Fremd: Kelsey Lee struck out 16 for New Trier and had 2 hits at the plate as the host Trevians (7-4) edged Fremd (7-1).

Leyden 4, Hinsdale Central 3: Leyden (8-1) received a 5-hitter from sophomore Morgan Maize (5-0), who struck out eight. Leyden scored all 4 runs in the fifth inning with two outs. April Markowski belted a 2-run single while Christina Morgan and Maize had RBI singles in the West Suburban crossover.

Buffalo Grove 6, Grant 2: Junior Andrea DiPrima (4-0) struck out 10 and walked three while tossing a 2-hitter for BG (9-2). DiPrima also had a 2-run double for the visiting Bison.

Making her varsity debut, freshman Megan Fu singled with two outs in the fifth inning and later scored on an RBI single by sophomore Becca Winter.