Softball: Palatine wins Leyden tourney as Huff gets 200th hit

It was a special Saturday for Palatine's softball team.

On a day when the Pirates won the championship of the Leyden Invitational, Northwestern-bound Grace Huff notched the 200th hit of her four-year varsity career.

The Pirates defeated Leyden 12-3 and Glenbrook North 13-3 to go 3-0 in the tourney and raise their overall record to 6-1.

Rhiann Dick (5-1) struck out seven to earned the win over Leyden (7-3).

Huff ended up 3-for-3 with a double, 4 RBI and a walk.

She reached her milestone hit in dramatic fashion, belting a home run that easily cleared the center field fence in the top of the seventh inning.

"Maddie Craver (graduated last year) is someone who I look up to and I wanted to follow in her footsteps," Huff said.

"I'm so grateful for my teammates and everything that they do for me, and I'm just excited to keep hitting this season. We were really excited to play today. We knew we wanted to hit today and I wanted to score my teammates."

Amanda Stanczuk (4-for-4, 3 doubles), 4 RBI) and Anna Selleck (3-for-4, 2 doubles, 4 RBI) were other key hitters against Leyden.

Stanczuk, Dick and Chase Friel followed up the Huff's homer with singles.

Mandy Logan then drove in Dick and Friel with a double to complete the Pirates' scoring.

Freshman Kelly Beach (1-0) earned the win against Glenbrook North, throwing a 1-hitter with 7 strikeouts in the five-inning contest.

Hitting leaders were Huff (2-for-3, home run, double, 2 RBI), Emily Parrott (2-for-4, home run, 2 RBI) and Kaitlyn Reed (3-for-4, home run, 2 RBI). Reed is the sixth Pirate to homer this spring.

The Pirates scored 6 runs in the third inning, two coming on Friel's double off the wall.

Palatine's Caitlin Williams recorded her first varsity hit in the game and scored.

"The offense did a great job today," said Palatine assistant coach Kristen Proffitt. "Everyone was hitting the ball hard and feeding off the energy from the rest of the team.

"Rhiann and Kelly both pitched well, and it was nice that they had so much run support.

"Anna (Selleck) did a great job catching every game in the tournament. She was getting down and blocking pitches all day, and she made a key out in the first inning when she tagged the runner on a throw from Chase (Friel)."

Beach admitted she had nerves at the start of the game.

"But my team was there talking me up throughout the game," she said. "The defense was very good behind me and they hit for me and scored runs behind me. We worked together as a team and put those runs up for the win."

Stanczuk enjoyed a big tourney, going 4-for-4 on Friday night against Jacobs.

"The team played super well this weekend," Stanczuk said. "I was just seeing the ball well. Our pitching and fielding was super solid.

"I just wanted to hit my best to help out Rhiann and take some pressure off her. I'm super happy with how we played this weekend and these wins will really help us prepare for the conference games coming up."

Elk Grove sweeps: Visiting Elk Grove (6-1) won 12-4 and 13-2 while collecting 17 hits in both games against Glenbrook South (4-2).

Junior catcher Katia Pendowski (3-for-5, 5 RBI) belted a 3-run homer in the first inning of the second game.

Other multiple hitters for EG were Morgan Leach (2-for-4, 2 runs), AJ Trausch (2-for-5, double, 2 RBI), Jamie Klicka (3-for-4, 2 doubles, 2 RBI, 2 runs), Taylor Schulz (2-for-5, triple) and Grace Engwall (3-for-4, 2 RBI).

Sophomore Olivia Masnica (2-0) tossed a 3-hitter with 8 strikeouts and 2 walks.

In the first game, junior Lauren Clausen (4-0) threw a 6-hitter with 6 strikeouts.

Pendowski also had a 3-run homer in Game 1 when she went 2-for-5 with 4 RBI.

Others leading the hit parade were Leach (4-for-5, triple, 4 runs), Trausch (2-for-5, double, 2 RBI), Clausen (2-for-5), Brooke Baldassarre (2-for-4, double, 2 runs), Schulz (2-for-4) and Masnica (triple).

Hersey sweeps: Host Hersey (6-0) stopped New Trier 10-9 and 11-1 in five innings.

Brianna Luciano (3-0) worked six innings in Game 1 to get the win, striking out a season-high 12 batters.

Makayla Tsagalis (3-for-3) belted 2 homers and a double to lead the Huskies' offense. Other top hitters were Sarah Bailitz (3-for-4, home run), Renae Curtis (2-for-4), Natalia Kubsik (3-for-4) and Lauren Steininger (2-for-4).

Hersey got home runs from Savannah Gazda (2-for-3) and Megan Mullen in Game 2. Luciano (2-for-2), Kubsik (2-for-3), Steininger (2-for-3), Bailitz and Tsagalis each had doubles.

Bailitz (3-0) earned the win, tossing a 6-hitter with 8 strikeouts.

Schaumburg 8, Stevenson 1: Junior Talia Torosian went 3-for-3 with 2 RBI, 2 runs and a double to lead the offense for host Schaumburg (3-6) which won for the third straight time.

Lauren Nielsen (2-0) worked the first four innings (1 hit, 2 strikeouts) to earn the win while Morgan Miller went the final three innings, allowing 3 hits and striking out three.

Jordan Karson went 2-for-4 for the Saxons with 2 RBI and a double while Abbie Greenberg had a double.

Rolling Meadows splits: Host Rolling Meadows (4-3) won the opener 10-5 over Niles West and fell 16-3 in Game 2.

Sam Benner (2-for-4, 2 RBI) and Elise Kowalski (2-for-4, double, RBI) led Meadows' offense in the opener.

The Mustangs also received a double from Caroline Slowik, triple from Sam Allen and home run from Sara Benner.

Kowalski (2-2) also earned the win the mound.

In Game 2, the Mustangs were led by Sara Benner (3-for-3, double), Allen (2-for-3, RBI, double) and Kendra Herring (2-for-3, RBI).

Deerfield 11, Wheeling 7: Peyton LaCaeyse (2-fo-r4) belted a home run and double with 4 RBI to lead the offense for visiting Wheeling (2-2).

Other top hitters were teammates Nikki Ferraro (2-for-4, double), Emmie LaCaeyse (2-for-3), Danni Moser (2-fr-4) and Sophia Stanke (double).

Prospect sweeps: Host Prospect earned its first two wins of the season 6-0 and 10-0 wins over Maine West.

Cassie Cunniff (2-for-4, double), Mary Granskog (2-for-4) and Katie Annen (2-for-4) led the offense for the Knights (2-3) in Game 1 where Claire Doherty picked up the win, tossing a 3-hitter with 10 strikeouts and 4 walks.

In Game 2, Prospect won in five innings as Kathryn Keehn (2-for-3), Cunniff (4-for-4, triple), Madeline Borkowski (3-for-3, home run, double) and Adeline Wantauch (2-for-3) led the offense.

Amanda Byrne tripled for Maine West (5-6).

Emalee Depa earned the win, tossing a 4-hitter with 4 strikeouts and no walks.

West's Abigail Gawlinski struck out three and did not walk a batter.

Buffalo Grove 12, St. Viator 6: Junior Megan Fontanetta picked up her second win in as many days as host BG improved to 3-2.

Angelina Craig had a homer and double for the Bison while Kimberly Stuercke also had a homer. Teammate Sam Hansen had 2 doubles and Hannah Young one.

Cece Kasier had 3 hits for the Lions (3-5) while teammates Marissa Zanon (3 RBI), Maggie VanValkenburg, Nicole Ardito (triple), Mary Naughton and Gianna Saverino each had two.

Leyden drops two: Leyden (7-3) fell to Jacobs 8-2 and Palatine 12-3 in its own invite. Kelly Kirkwood (2-for-4, double, 2 runs) and Elle Engelke (3-for-3) led the Eagles' offense against Jacobs.

"It was a tough day," said Leyden coach Kurt Schuett. "But I still saw some good things."

Conant falls twice: Lake Park won 9-2 and 6-5 over the visiting Cougars (0-6).