Young Hoffman Estates improves to 2-0

With only three seniors on her roster, Hoffman Estates softball coach Lindsey Hamma has one of her younger teams in 10 seasons.

But that hasn't stopped the youthful Hawks from starting out 2-0.

Victory No. 2 came on Saturday and it took only five innings, thanks to senior second baseman Caitlyn Farina's one-out 2-run walk-off homer in the bottom of the fifth inning.

The blast over the center field fence gave the Hawks a 13-2 triumph over visiting Loyola.

Farina, one of three the three seniors along with Charlotte Allan and Alyssa Galan, went 3-for-4. She also added a double and had 3 RBI. Farina is now 4-for-7 for the season.

Other multiple hitters for the winners were junior Jordyn Fera (2-for-3, double, sacrifice fly), Tracy Osimowicz (3-for-4) and sophomore Brynn Connelly (2-for-2, walk).

Freshmen Mary Bean and Giselle Velezquez also had doubles for Hoffman.

"We have some young guns giving us some good energy, too, that's for sure," said Hamma, whose club comes back Monday for an 8 a.m. game against Lake Zurich at the Rosemont Dome.

Allan (1-0) notched her first win of the season, going all five innings. She tossed a 6-hitter with 2 strikeouts.

Leyden sweeps: The host Eagles (2-0) opened their season with a doubleheader sweep of Highland Park in Rosemont.

Coach Kurt Schuett's team won 14-3 and 14-4.