Deering, Cary-Grove handle Hersey

With uniform No. 13, the year 2013 was a perfect fit for Cary-Grove's Jamie Deering.

But that doesn't mean there's anything unlucky about any other year for the talented four-year starting Trojan, who has worn the number since her freshman year of volleyball.

The two-time all-conference shortstop helped her team even its record at 2-2 on Tuesday in Arlington Heights by going 2-for-4 with a double and a single in a 10-1 victory at Hersey.

"It was the only number left when I was a freshman on the sophomore volleyball team," Deering said. "Everyone thought it was so unlucky but I just took it and now I love it. "

Deering has worn it during a terrific softball career which will continue at Clark University next year in Massachusetts.

But first, she wants to make sure the Trojans have a lot more winning days like Tuesday.

"This was nice," she said. "It feels really good to finally string some hits together."

While the Trojans were hitting (5 hits in their 5-run sixth inning), junior Amanda DeGroote was taking of things on the mound.

She picked up her first win of the season by tossing a 4-hitter with 3 strikeouts and only 1 walk.

"We just kept mixing it up and trying to keep them off balance," said DeGroote (1-1), who won her first two varsity games late last season. "I know I have a great defense behind me so I trust whatever pitch I am throwing."

DeGroote's own defense isn't so bad either, as she made a nice reach for Cassie Zouras' hard hit grounder and then threw to first baseman Brianne Prank for the second out of the bottom of the sixth.

Freshman Katie Wingerer, who had led off the inning with a single to left, was able to reach third on the play but DeGroote left her there by getting the next batter to ground out to second baseman Amy Clemment.

Clemment also had one of the Trojans' 8 hits along with DeGroote, Prank, Grace Pilz, Caroline Zasadil and Sarah Kendeigh.

"We had a lot of baserunners," said Cary-Grove coach Tammy Olson. "And we got a lot of looks at different people. I loved that we kept getting runs at the end."

DeGroote, Clemment and Prank each had RBI singles in the Trojans' 5-run sixth.

Earlier in the game, the visitors built a 5-0 lead in the first three innings by taking advantage of 3 hit-by-pitches, 6 walks and 3 hits.

"I thought we got off to a slow start," said Hersey coach Molly Freeman, whose team is 3-2-1. "Katie (Denton, a freshman who is 3-2) has really been great for us but today she just had a little tougher time out there.

"We didn't give up a lot of earned runs. I thought Angela (Schmiederer, an Iowa recruit) was dynamite behind the plate. But we didn't have the offense to match the defense. It just wasn't out best day."

Hersey's 4 hits came off the bats of Dani Suchowski, Payton Anderskow and Wingerer, who was 2-for-3 with the RBI.

Olson's team begins conference play on Thursday.

"We've really been up and down so far so we've got to get consistency," she said. "When we do, we'll be a very good team. This is a little different for us this year because we've usually played more games by now. We've lost three games (through weather postponements) already."