Barrington 1, Fremd 0

Barrington junior softball ace Kim Cygan summed it up well.

"Games with Fremd are always up in the air until the final out," she said.

And when Cygan got the final one Friday with her eighth strikeout, the Fillies found themselves in first place in the Mid-Suburban League West Division.

Cygan (20-5) hurled a 3-hitter and blanked the Vikings 1-0 to give Barrington (21-5, 11-1) a 1½-game lead over Fremd (16-2, 9-2).

Cygan retired the side in the seventh and got out of two mini jams in the fifth and sixth when the Vikings had a runner in scoring position each time with one out.

"Kim has proven she can pitch consistently when she has a 1-run lead late in the game," said Fillies coach Perry Peterson, whose team edged Fremd 6-5 two weeks ago. "I have confidence in her."

"I like the pressure," Cygan said. "I feel like I do better with it. And Devinne (Wapotish, senior catcher) is always there to come out and make me laugh when I'm tense. She relaxes me."

Fremd ace Lena Brottman (13-2), coming off a perfect game the day before against Elk Grove (2-0), struck out the side in the first inning.

The sophomore right-hander had retired 29 straight batters before senior second baseman Jessica McGurn reached on an error with two outs in the second inning.

Brottman finished with 11 strikeouts, and like Cygan, gave up only 3 hits.

Barrington's only run came in the fourth when Michal Jane Maropis started the inning by reaching on an infield error.

Another error on Cygan's infield grounder brought Maropis home from first base.

Brottman got of the jam by retiring the next three batters.

"Their pitcher was terrific," Peterson said. "She pitched her heart out. We were just trying to find any way we could to score."

Two of Fremd's hits came in the sixth with one out on back-to-back singles by first baseman Jessica Tackett (sharp liner to center) and catcher Kristine Werling (infield grounder).

But Cygan got a strikeout and popup to first baseman Kiersten Tinkoff to escape.

"I didn't want that runner to get past second base," Cygan said. "I knew my defense was behind me and I could make that happen."

Sophomore Kelly Voigt had Fremd's other hit in the fifth inning.

"We have to get a little better," said Fremd coach Jim Weaver. "But give credit to their pitcher. We only got 3 hits."

A one-out bloop single to left-center by Lindsey Dulla followed by Lisa Shandley's infield single gave Barrington a big threat in the sixth, but Brottman got out of the jam with a strikeout and flyout to center fielder Tess Dinterman.

"We had a lot of chances," Weaver said. "The game came down to the defensive side. We'll work at it."

"Fremd is good team and we know we always have to come our ready for them," Cygan said.

Maine West 7, Glenbrook North 0: Emily Ott (12-1) threw a 1-hitter with 12 strikeouts and 3 walks as the Warriors improved to 17-2 and 8-0 in the Central Suburban North.

Nicole Eisenberg (2-for-4, 2 runs), Katie Lowe (2-for-3, 2 RBI) and Ott (1-for-4, double, 3 RBI) led the offense for the hosts.

Elk Grove 2, Rolling Meadows 1:ΠFreshman Jessica Balzano led off the bottom of the seventh with her eighth triple of the season to right-center and came home on an error on the play to account for the winning run.

Stephanie Maday (15-2) threw a 5-hitter with 5 strikeouts and no walks for host Elk Grove (21-3, 10-2). Carissa Stewart (5-10 struck out two and walked none for Meadows (6-10, 5-7).

Junior shortstop Maddy Urban (3-for-3) doubled for the Mustangs.

"I have no complaints with our hitting," said Elk Grove coach Ken Grams. "I thought we hit the ball real well, but they made some tremendous plays. (Connie) Porters (third base) and Urban (shortstop) made some real nice plays."

Wheeling 6, Regina 4: Annemarie Spiezia (3-for-4, run), Carly Speidel (3-for-4, 2 runs, RBI), freshman Alyson Fallon (2-for-4) and Nicole Schroeder (2-for-4, double, RBI, 1 run) led the offense for the visiting Wildcats (5-11) in the nonconference game.

Sophomore Tori Menelle struck out three and walked one while recording her second win in four decisions.

Lake Zurich 6, Prospect 1: Katie Bucyznski hit a home run and was the winning pitcher for Lake Zurich in the Bears' nonconference victory in Mount Prospect.

Junior Jackie Gartz (0-1) suffered the loss for the Knights (12-7), who host Wheeling today at 4:30 p.m.

Buffalo Grove 13, Grant 9: A grand slam by senior shortstop Stephanie Rudolfi (5 RBI) in the sixth inning put visiting Buffalo Grove (12-10) ahead for good as freshman Andrea DiPrima (7-5) threw the final 4½ innings and earned the win.

Senior Katie Lee (2-for-3, 3 RBI, 2 runs) and DiPrima (3-for-5, 2 RBI) were other key hitters for the winners, who host Hersey today at 4:30 p.m.