Palatine perseveres, produces comeback win
Palatine’s softball team trailed 8-0 going into the bottom of the second inning against visiting Schaumburg on Monday.
But the Pirates were far from done.
They pushed across 2 runs in the bottom of the second.
“When we scored those 2 runs, we talked about not trying to get all the runs back at once,” said Pirates coach Jeff Manz. “We said ‘let’s just let our pitching and defense keep us in game, and chip away at their lead.’ ”
The strategy worked to perfection.
In the top half of the second inning, Manz called upon his sophomore right-fielder Jules Undoni to come in and take over pitching duties.
Not only did Udoni not allow a run the 51⁄3 innings, she also scored the winning run in the Pirates’ stunning comeback victory, 9-8 in the MSL West.
Because Manz has only 10 players on his roster, Udoni (3-2) has to play the outfield and she had only 5 pitches to warm up.
“Jules is such a hard worker,” Manz said. “I was so happy for her.”
Udoni also sparked the Pirates (10-7, 3-1) at the plate, going 3-for-4 with 2 doubles, 2 runs and an RBI.
Other top hitters for Palatine were Tori Walzak (1 RBI, 1 run), Lauren Logan (2-for-4, 2 runs, RBI) and Kaileigh Moertl (1-for-2, 2 doubles, 1 run, RBI).
“We got on base and put some pressure on them,” Manz said. “And they made a few errors that we capitalized on. We played great defense and Jules kept the ball down.”
The Pirates tied the game at 8-8 in the sixth Logan singled sharply and took second on an error. She then score when Megan Hedstrom looped a single up the middle with one out.
Udoni started the rally in the bottom of the seventh with a line drive single to left.
Walzak then singled and an error on the play allowed Udoni to race all the way home for the winning run.
“I’ve never seen a happier group of players and coaches,” Manz said. “It was good for an inexperienced team like ours which wasn’t sure where it was headed.”
The Pirates are tied for second in the MSL West with Barrington and Fremd behind Conant.
Courtney Raschk (2-for-4, 2 runs, RBI), Alyssa Lancaster (2-for-3, 2 RBI, double), Shannon Felde (2-for-3, 1 run, 2 RBI, double), Renee Kakareka (2-for-4, RBI) and Courtney Plackner (1-for-4, 2 RBI, double) led Schaumburg (8-6, 2-2).
Hersey 3, Prospect 1: Host Hersey (7-7, 1-3) got its first win in the MSL East as Michele Bolker (4-5) threw a 7-hitter with only 1 walk.
Sarah Platt (2-for-3) and Val Burke (2-for-3) led the offense for Hersey, which took a 1-0 lead on Platt’s RBI fielder’s choice that scored Alex Tinaglia.
In the third, Hersey added its final 2 runs on an RBI single by Burke which scored Platt and a ground out by Bolker to bring home Burke.
Haley Skala and Michele Molini had doubles for the Knights (4-12, 1-3).
Elk Grove 12, Buffalo Grove 2 (5 innings): Mid-Suburban East leader Elk Grove (12-3, 3-1) received a 4-hitter from Dani Goranson, who struck out eight and walked one.
Leading the Grens’ offense were Goranson (2-for-3, double, 2 runs, RBI), Krista Soesbe (2-for-4, RBI), Andrea Starr (double) and Tori Liewergen (double).
BG freshman Julia Camardo (3-6) struck out four and walked two as Megan Fu, Amanda Salzman, Erin Barton and Ali Levato had the hits for the visiting Bison (5-11, 1-3).
Rolling Meadows 5, Wheeling 4: Host Rolling Meadows (10-5, 2-2) scored the winning runs in the bottom of the sixth when Chloe Prodanovic and Sara Brunlieb each scored on an error on Emily Hattory’s infield groundball.
Brunlieb (8-4) struck out 12 and walked three for the win.
Meadows was led on offense by Jenny Watson (2-for-3), Sam Anderson (2-for-3, 2 RBI) and Lane Winkler (2-for-3, RBI).
Anderson hit a 2-run homer and Winkler belted a solo blast in the fourth inning.
Sara Kern (2-for-2, 2 walks) accounted for all 4 RBI for Wheeling (2-8, 0-4) as the junior hit a solo homer in the first and 3-run blast in the third.
Wildcats pitcher Katie Quagliano (2-6) struck out three. Jackie Resnick went 2-for-3 for the Wildcats.
Fremd 5, Hoffman Estates 0: Junior Ashlynne Schwantz improved to 8-1 as the host Vikings (15-3, 3-1) allowed only 1 hit.
Michelle Mazur (2-for-3, 2 runs, 2 RBI, double) and Megan Hubbard each homered for Fremd while Janelle Schneider was 2-for-2 with a double against the Hawks (3-8-1, 1-3).
Leyden 10, Proviso East 0 (5 inn.): Senior Morgan Maize (10-4) threw no-hitter with 13 strikeouts for the host Eagles (13-4) at the Ballpark at Rosemont.
Carmel 7, St. Viator 3: Junior Michelle Presslak went 2-for-2 with an RBI and walk for the host Lions (6-8, 0-1) while Sam Hogan (4-8) struck out three in the ESCC contest.