Softball / Lake County roundup

The Stevenson and Zion-Benton softball teams split their two North Suburban Lake Division games this season.

They met for the third time this season Thursday, and it was the ninth-seeded Zee-Bees who ousted the eighth-seeded Patriots with a 5-1 win in a Class 4A New Trier regional semifinal.

Meg Crosswhite led off the game with a home run, starting a 4-run inning for Zion-Benton, which will play New Trier at 11 a.m. Saturday for the regional championship.

Stevenson, which started the season 3-11, finished 19-16. Lexi Yonkovic singled and scored the Patriots' only run in the first. Vera Pflugradt had Stevenson's only other hit off Zee-Bees starter Claire Crane.

McHenry 10, Grayslake North 0: At McHenry, the fourth-seeded Knights managed only 2 singles in the Class 4A regional semifinal.

Grayslake North finishes the season 19-14-2.

Top-seeded McHenry will face No. 3 Grant in Saturday's 11 a.m. championship game.

Ridgewood 11, Vernon Hills 1: At Vernon Hills, the sixth-seeded Rebels broke open a 1-1 Class 3A regional semifinal by scoring 10 runs in the bottom of the sixth.

No. 11 Vernon Hills (7-26) got 2 hits from Danielle Comitor, while Sara Lenzi (1-for-3) drove in the Cougars' lone run.

Ridgewood will play Lakes in the regional final at 11 a.m. Saturday.

Libertyville 10, Hersey 3: On Wednesday at Carmel, Andi Katz hit a grand slam, as the Wildcats completed their Class 4A regional semifinal by rallying for victory.

The game had been suspended Tuesday in the bottom of the third with Libertyville trailing 1-0. Katz's grand slam put the Wildcats up 4-1. Michaela Mooney hit a 2-run homer later in the game to seal the comeback win.

Winning pitcher Haley Alban (16-4) pitched 6 innings, allowing 5 hits, striking out three and walking two. Libertyville turned 3 double plays. Tayler Oberman drew 3 walks, Jessie Lauret was 2-for-3, Katz finished 2-for-3 as well, and Jamie Stevens contributed a single and 2 RBI.

Carmel 11, Glenbrook North 1: On Wednesday at Carmel, Kathleen Felicell hit a pair of 2-run home runs and Jenny Behan belted a 3-run homer (her 18th of the season). Claire Petrus was the winning pitcher, allowing only 4 hits.

Carmel will play Libertyville in Saturday's 11 a.m. regional final.

Lakes 10, Gordon Tech 0: On Wednesday at Vernon Hills, Taylor Dishinger pitched a five-inning complete game with 10 strikeouts and doubled in 2 runs in a 6-run fourth inning, as the Eagles cruised in their Class 3A regional semifinal.

Jen Reed added a 3-run triple for Lakes (17-15-1), which advanced to Saturday's 11 a.m. regional final against Ridgewood. Dishinger, Reed and Ally Perdue each had 2 hits in the win.