Softball / Northwest roundup
When it comes to single-season hits, no one has done it better for Elk Grove's softball team than Becca Maher.
The senior shortstop went 3-for-4 with a double to reach 74 hits, breaking the school mark of 72 set by Jessica Balzano.
Maher's big day helped lead the Grens to an 8-1 victory at Wheeling.
Elk Grove finished at 11-5 (second place) in the Mid-Suburban East and 26-6 overall.
Other top hitters for the Grens were Brianna Leach (3-for-4, 2 RBI), Marjorie Sloan (2-for-4, triple, 2 RBI), Gina Cirrincione (double), Megan Eul (double) and Shannon Taucher (2-for-4, 2 RBI), who belted a towering 2-run homer to left.
Freshman Taylor Leach (5-1) earned the win.
The Wildcats (5-24, 2-14) were led on offense by Nikki Mikosz (2-for-3, triple, double), Katie Quagliano (1-for-3, RBI) and Alexa Orlando (1-for-2).
Buffalo Grove 6, Prospect 2: Junior Julia Camardo (16-4) threw a 5-hitter with 7 strikeouts and also belted a two-out, 2-run homer over the right-field fence in the first inning as the Bison (19-8, 13-3) tuned up for Thursday's MSL title game at Conant.
Caitlin Catino was 2-for-3 with a double for the MSL East champs while teammate Emily Carnes also added a double.
BG won its 13th straight game.
Angela Roman belted a home run for Prospect (7-19, 5-10) while Knights junior pitcher Jenny Krengiel (1-3) struck out nine and walked two while giving up 5 hits.
Barrington 4, Hoffman Estates 0: Kiley Dolezal (21-8) threw a 1-hitter with 7 strikeouts as she notched her seventh shutout and improved to 54-11 for her career.
Jennifer Inamoto (2-for-3, RBI, 2 runs) and Jenna Fingerman (2-for-3, RBI) each belted home runs for the Fillies (22-9, 12-3) while teammates Erin Ward and Katie Dehnert had the other hits on Senior Day.
Hoffman's only hit was a single by Jordyn Fera which gave the Hawks the bases loaded and one out in the top of the sixth.
Dolezal escaped with a 1-2-3 double play.
Sophomore Tracy Osimowicz (10-4) took the loss for Hoffman (14-15, 6-10).
Maine West 4, Deerfield 1: Freshman Grace Feldkamp earned the win on Senior Day for host Maine West (14-11, 8-2), which earned at least a tie for first in the Central Suburban North.
Feldkamp also went 1-3 at the plate with 2 RBI.
Senior Abbey Herling (2-for-3) belted a solo home run along with a triple, 2 RBI and 2 runs.
Erin Ross (1-for-2) and Annemarie Weber (1-for-3) each scored a run.
Fremd 6, Palatine 2: Molly Muhs (3-for-3) and Holly Straup (2-for-2, walk) were offensive leaders for Fremd (19-9, 11-5) as the teams raised money as part of 'Blood-borne Cancer Day' which was the theme throughout the conference on Monday.
"It was a good turnout from both sides and a good atmosphere," said Fremd coach Jim Weaver, whose team received an 8-hitter from Joanna Josten (13-7) with 4 strikeouts and 2 walks.
Grace Rohrwasser (2-for-4) and Jules Udoni (2-for-3, 2 doubles) led Palatine (8-23, 3-13) which received 4 innings from pitcher Erin Davis and two from Udoni.
Courtney English belted a homer for the Pirates.
Rolling Meadows leads: Rolling Meadows was leading visiting Hersey 1-0 in the bottom for the third when the night game was suspended due to weather.
It will be resumed on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m.
Benet 5, St. Viator 4: St. Viator (17-13, 5-10) scored first after a leadoff double by Cam VanValkenburg, who eventually scored on an infield out by Sam Hogan.
The visiting Lions extended the lead to 3-0 in the third with an infield hit by Krystal Harris (3 hits) and a 2-run homer by Hogan (3 RBI).
Benet answered with a 3-run homer to tie the score.
The Lions regained the lead in the fourth.
They started with back-to-back singles by Tess Kaiser and Gina Mastrodomenico. A run scored when Olivia Michalik was robbed of a hit by a diving stop by Benet's second baseman.
The Redwings tied it again in the fifth inning at 4-4 and scored the winning run in the bottom of the seventh.
"This was great high school softball game to be part of," said Viator coach John Scotillo. "There were multiple lead changes, tremendous plays, power pitching, small ball and home runs. It was very exciting. "Benet is a good team. There's a reason they are the conference champs. We went toe-to-toe with them. I think we are moving in the right direction at the right time."