Conant’s talented dozen certainly getting job done

Conant’s softball motto this season is: “Takes all 12.”

So far, the Cougars — who boast a 12-player roster this spring — have been taking wins from all their opponents.

For the first time in seven seasons, they were winners over Lake Park after sweeping a doubleheader in Roselle by scores of 9-1 and 8-5.

Junior ace Briana Cavin (8-0) fired a 3-hitter in Game 1 as sophomore Sarah Thompson, sophomore Kim Jacobson (3-for-3) and junior Paige Ward all belted homers for the Cougars (9-0).

The Cougars’ Hilary O’Donnell (3-for-4) was a key hitter in Game 2.

In Game 2, Cavin pitched the final 4 innings for the win, striking out five and walking one.

Top hitters for Conant were Cavin (3-for-4, double), O’Donnell (2-for-4), Allie Bauch (2-for-4) and Ward, who led the offense with a 4-for-4 performance including 2 doubles.

“We made errors early in the second game but came back together,” said Cougars coach CathyAnn Smith, whose team visits Elk Grove on Monday to start Mid-Suburban League play.

Palatine takes two: The Pirates (7-2) won twice in their own invite, stopping Glenbrook North 11-1 in six innings and Jacobs 7-1.

Alyx Ballenger (2-for-3, double), Sam Salomone (2-for-4 double, triple) and Katie Scovic (2-for-4, double) led the Pirates offense in Game 1 when senior southpaw Dani Boisvert (5-1) earned the win.

Senior Lauren Hedstrom notched the win in Game 2 as Katie Mnichowicz (2-for-4 double), Ballenger (1-for-3, double), Lauren Logan (1-for-3, double) and Scovic (2-for-3) led the offense.

Mnichowicz’s 2 stolen bases gave her the career school record formerly set by Nikki Linares (62).

“It was a great day all-around,” said Palatine coach Jeff Manz. “Everyone hit the ball.”

Leyden 6, Jacobs 2: Playing at the Palatine Invite, Leyden improved to 8-0 as Morgan Maize (3-for-4, 2 RBI), April Markowski (2-for-4, 2 RBI) Moira Quinlan (1-for-3, double) led the Eagles’ attack.

Maize (7-0) earned the win with a 3-hitter and 7 strikeouts.

Fremd sweeps Fenton: Sophomore Ashlynne Schwantz (4-0) struck out eight in 4 innings as Fremd (9-0-1) won the opener 19-0 in five innings.

Sophomore Mandi Matsumoto (3-for-4), Brittany Ciura (3-for-3, 5 RBI) and Caitlin Patenaude (3-for-4, double, 2 runs, 4 RBI) sparked the Vikings’ offense. Sophomores Sammy Hammond and Kristine Herdegen also doubled, while freshman Leigh Farina had a triple.

Patenaude had another big effort in Game 2 as the Vikings won 13-3 in five innings.

The junior outfielder was 2-for-2 with 2 doubles, 4 RBI and a sacrifice fly.

Junior Rachel Doering (5-0) struck out 10 in the first 4 innings for the win.

Barrington sweeps Mundelein: The host Fillies (9-3) won the opener 6-1 behind a 5-hitter from Kiley Dolezal (7-1).

The senior right-hander struck out nine and walked one, while the offense was led by Colleen Shandley (2-for-4, 2 RBI) and Loren Krzysko (2-for-3, double, RBI).

Krzysko (2-1) went the final 3 innings to notch the win in Game 2.

The sophomore right-hander struck out five in relief of junior Emma Woods, who recorded 6 strikeouts in the first 3 innings.

Senior Dana Moran (3-for-3, 4 RBI) belted a home run and a double while Kiersten Tinkoff (2-for-4, 3 runs, RBI) had 2 doubles.

Kelsey Kazmier, Jordan Wekony and Danielle Di Iorio also doubled for the Fillies.

Downers Grove North sweeps Prospect: The host Knights (3-4) battled highly regarded Downers Grove North (9-0) in both games before falling 11-3 and 5-4 in eight innings.

In Game 1, Prospect took a 3-1 lead when Jamie Blankinship (pinch running for Sarah Forssander, who had walked) scored on a single by Nikki Surico. Michelle King then singled and Michele Molini doubled to right-center to score Surico and King.

But DGN broke open the game by scoring 7 runs in the top of the sixth.

Surico went 3-for-4 (RBI, 1 run), while King (2-for-4) and Molini (2-for-3) were other key hitters. Knights senior left-hander Sam Mangrum is 2-2.

In Game 2, Prospect rallied from a 2-0 deficit with 4 runs in the bottom of the fifth.

Amy Graham singled with one out. Surico (2-for-4, double, stolen base, 1 run) walked and King singled Graham home. Molini walked to load the bases, and Knights pitcher Hanna Lythberg (1-2) followed with an RBI single to score Surico.

The big hit of the inning was Mangrum’s fly to left on which a throwing error allowed 2 runs to score.

Downers tied the score in the top of the seventh and won it in the top of the eighth when Sam Yeager (2-for-4) led off with a homer.

For the two games, Surico was 5-of-8 with a double and 2 runs, while King went 3-for-8.

“We feel like we should have won both games, but Downers really battled all day,” said Prospect coach Jim Adair. “We played great today and learned a lot about who we are and what we think we can become. I wish we could have won, but this was really a great experience for us today and it’ll only make us better in the future.”

Hersey, Stevenson split: Hersey junior Alex Tinaglia tripled and classmate Melisssa Cecala doubled as the Huskies (2-5) scored 3 runs in the top of the seventh to top the host Patriots 4-3.

Junior Angela Lazzeretti (1-2) earned the win.

Stevenson came up with 3 runs in the bottom of the seventh to edge Hersey 9-8 in Game 2. Tinaglia belted another tripled while Haley Henriksen doubled.