Balzano's hitting streak reaches 33 games in a row for Elk Grove
By going 2-for-4 on Saturday, junior Jessica Balzano made it through the regular season with a 33-game hitting streak for Elk Grove's softball team.
She also scored 3 runs in the Grenadiers' 5-1 nonconference victory over Lincoln-Way North in the Stone City Jamboree held in Minooka.
Balzano is one game shy of the area's longest hitting streak set by Rolling Meadows senior Maryclare Loughery (34 in a row snapped a few weeks ago).
Elk Grove finished its regular season at 31-4 with Stephanie Maday (16-2) striking out four and giving up 2 hits in the first 4 innings for the win.
Dani Goranson (15-2) went the final 3 innings with 2 strikeouts and 2 hits.
Grens sophomore Devan Parkison (2-for-3, 3 RBI) had an RBI single in the first and 2-run double in the third.
The Grens' Olivia Roback went 2-for-3 with an RBI, while Amanda Gattone (1 run) and Goranson (1 run) had the other hits.
Naperville Central 4, Barrington 0: The Fillies (30-5) were led on offense by junior Colleen Shandley (3-4), who closed to within 2 hits of tying Erin Lernihan's single-season school-record 68 hits set in 2004.
Shandley also stole 2 bases, closing to within 1 of Lernihan's school record of 31, also set in 2004.
Senior Carolyn Dacunha got her first hit of the season, a single to left with two outs in the top of the seventh.
Fillies junior Kiley Dolezal (27-5) finished the regular season as the area's winningest pitcher.
Schaumburg 8, Maine West 0: Sophomore Alyssa Lancaster finished the regular season with her 20th win as Schaumburg (23-10) blanked visiting Maine West (11-20). Juniors Brianne Lingl and Jessica Cook each doubled for the Saxons.
St. Viator sweeps: The Lions (18-17) set a school record for wins and completed their first winning regular season in 17 years, defeating St. Joseph 22-2 and 7-2 in the East Suburban Catholic Conference.
In Game 1, the Lions scored 12 runs in the first inning to coast to a 22-2 victory. Julie Sweeney (13-9) picked up the win in 5 innings, striking out five with a 2-hitter.
Amanda Presslak (2 doubles, 3 singles) collected 5 RBI while Sweeney hit 2 home runs and had 6 RBI. Abby Dickey also hit a home run. Bridget Urbanus went 3-for-3 with 2 RBI, while Melanie Slawny had a double and 2 RBI.
The Lions won 2-0 in Game 2 as Melanie Slawny threw a 5-hitter with 3 strikeouts. She also went 2-for-3 with a home run, single and 3 RBI. Abby Dickey, Alex Flasch and Kristen Cozzi both doubled. Sweeney and Bridget Urbanus each had 2 hits.