Softball: Buckner's big day carries Mundelein
Kira Buckner hit 3 solo home runs, doubled and finished 4-for-4, and Mundelein's softball team shut out visiting Deerfield 7-0 in nonconference action on Friday.
The Mustangs also got a pair of solo homers from Kendall Klatt (3-for-3), while Breanna Adams shined both at the plate and in the circle. Adams pitched a complete game, scattering 2 hits, striking out 13 and walking two. She also went 3-for-4 at the plate with a pair of double and an RBI. Allison Lambert was 2-for-3.
Grayslake North 6, Grant 5: A day after seeing their 12-game winning streak snapped, the Knights won in walk-off fashion for the second time this week.
The game, which marked the Northern Lake County Conference finale for both teams, was not without controversy.
Caitlin Barenbaum led off the seventh for Grayslake North (18-8, 10-4) with a single. Scout Kram then bunted for an infield single. A wild pitch moved both runners up with a close play at third base. Pinch runner Gracie Moats scored the tying run on a wild pitch/dropped-third strike with an obstruction call at home plate.
Faith Standerski then came up and laced the second pitch she saw to right field to score the walk-off run. The Knights scored their other runs in the first inning. Meghan Delahunty led off the game with an infield single. Standerski walked, before Grace Brown drew one of her 4 intentional walks to load the bases. Freshman Jess Pozezinski made it hurt, hitting her first career grand slam on a full count.
Delahunty (2 hits), Pozezinski (2 hits), Kram (2 hits), Standerski (RBI), Alyssa Carr, Nina Wittig and Barenbaum all had hits for the Knights. Winning pitcher Emily Mack was strong in the circle, scattering 6 hits to go along with 4 strikeouts and 2 walks.
For Grant, Erin Bengston (2 RBI, intentional walk) recorded her 200th career hit on a 2-run bomb in the third inning. Madeline Quinn also homered, doubled and drove in 2 runs) for the Bulldogs. Megan Mitchell (2 hits) and Calista Warmowski had the other hits for Grant.
Lakes 20, Vernon Hills 5: Camryn Jones was 3-for-3 with a homer, double and 5 RBI, as the Eagles won in nonconference action.
Ally Dietz hit a solo homer for the Eagles and finished 3-for-4. Lakes' other contributors offensively included Rachel Becker (2-for-3, 2 RBI), Kelsey Ulrich (3-for-3, double, 3 RBI), Molly Dietz (2-for-5, 3 RBI), Georgia Ohren (3-for-5, 3 RBI) and Kayla Foote (2-for-5, double, RBI).
For Vernon Hills, Delaney Bowen homered and drove in 3 runs, and Brooke Pieper had a double.
Libertyville 5, Prospect 1: Amanda Page earned her 19th win of the season in the nonconference game.
Page (19-4) went the distance in the circle, allowing 3 hits, striking out eight and not walking a batter.
Sarah Hoyer went 2-for-3 with 2 doubles for Libertyville (23-6), and Sarah Bennett and Maggie Evers each homered and drove in 2 runs.