Softball: Goeringer slugs Elk Grove to upset win over No. 1 Fremd

Suffice it to say, Lexi Goeringer will never forget the first week of her senior postseason of a four-year varsity career at Elk Grove.

The senior third baseman drove in all 3 of her team's runs with a pair of home runs to lift the No. 8-seeded Grenadiers to their first Class 4A regional championship in her four seasons as they stunned No.1 and host Fremd 3-1 in Palatine on Friday.

Elk Grove will face the winner of Saturday's St. Charles East regional (Glenbard North vs St. Charles East) on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. in the Conant sectional semifinal.

Goeringer's solo homer to left in the top of the fifth tied the game at 1-1 before her 2-run, 2-out blast well over the centerfield fence in the top of the seventh made it 3-1.

Just three days earlier in the semifinal, Goeringer also clubbed a pair of homers, including the 2-run walk-off in the bottom of the eighth inning as Elk Grove rallied from an 8-1 deficit for an 11-9 win over Glenbard West.

After a 45-minute lightning delay on Friday, Fremd (23-5) and Elk Grove (20-10) returned to the diamond in the top of the seventh inning with one out.

With two outs, leadoff batter Aliya Garcia doubled sharply to the right center gap before Goeringer belted an 0-2 pitch over the fence for her 12th homer of the season and fourth of the regional.

"Honestly, with a runner on second, I was just looking for a base hit,'' said Goeringer, who will play at Maryville University in St. Louis and study nursing. “But I guess I did even better. It's awesome to get our first regional since I've been here for Mr. (Ken) Grams. "This couldn't have been better."

The hall of famer Grams won his 1,039th game in 43 years, moving him to just 5 wins of tying Randy Wolken of St. Joseph-Ogden for most wins in IHSA softball history.

"Historically, we just have enormous battles with Fremd," Grams said. "Sometimes on the plus side, sometimes in the minus, but they've just been great games. This was another one."

This one was a dandy pitching duel between Elk Grove senior Erika Gore and Fremd junior Hailey Lucas, whose one-out RBI single to left in the first inning scored Taylor Piento (double) for the Vikes' 1-0 lead.

Lucas struck out 12 while tossing 5-hitter while Gore had 6 strikeouts, also allowing 5 hits.

Gore underwent surgery for a dislocated knee cap and didn't make her first appearance until the second half of the season. The Northwest MIssouri State recruit improved to 7-3.

"It's been great to get her back," Grams said. "She is showing me that she is strong. She did everything they told her to do rehabbing and it's paying off now."

Goeringer went 3-for-4 while Garcia was 2-for-3 with a walk and 2 doubles.

Shortstop Ariana Trausch reached twice on walks while Brianna Magner and catcher Martia Smith also drew base on balls. Smith also threw out a runner trying to second base.

"I'm just so proud of these girls," said Grams, who won his 21st regional. "They just keep battling. They battled back from the 8-1 deficit on Tuesday and now to come back here and play a very good team — Fremd is super — and for us to go step and step with them makes me feel good for our kids."

Goeringer has 38 homers for her career.

"It's been great the last four years and I love playing with all these girls," she said. "They give me the excitement to want to keep playing. This was definitely the best week of my career.“

Claire Kanupke led the Fremd offense by going 2-for-3 from the No. 8 spot while Amanda Poniecki, Piento and Lucas each had 1 hit for the Vikings who lost for the first time at home in 16 games. Catcher Mia Souliotis threw out a runner trying to steal second in the first inning.

"We talked to the girls afterward and said that a single game or single moment, or one pitch here or there does not define a season," said Vikings coach Josh Teschner, who owns a 156-60 record in eight seasons. "And when you play a very talented and very well-coached team like Elk Grove it might seem like it. After the game you might feel the sting of the loss, especially being the first on our home field.

"But what this senior group and what this team has been able to do — winning conference (MId-Suburban League champions), going on a 13-game win streak and defeating teams who historically had our number — are memories that will sustain us far more than a loss on a dirt field.

"It was a phenomenal season led by a group of kids who I think came into the season now knowing what to expect. But they put it all on the line for each other more than anything else and that's all you can ever ask of a group of athletes and they were astonishing."

Libertyville 11, Hersey 0:

No. 10-seeded Libertyville (15-16) pulled off an 11-0 upset of No. 2 Hersey (21-6) in the championship game of the Class 4A Loyola regional on Friday.

The Wildcats, who belted 15 hits, scored 2 runs in the first inning on a double by sophomore second baseman Maddy Kleemann.

Sophomore Taylor Higham pitched her second complete game of the regional, throwing a 5-hitter with 6 strikeouts and only 2 walks against the Mid-Suburban League East champs.

Junior third baseman Emily Psyhogios led the way offensively for Libertyville going 3-for-5 with a pair of 2-run homers and 4 RBI.

Senior catcher Reese Tyrakowski also had 3 hits and 2 RBI for the Wildcats.

"Overall, I'm really proud of how our kids played with poise, confidence and energy," said Libertyville coach Sean Ferrell. whose team will face Warren in the Blue Devils’ sectional semifinal on Wednesday at 4 p.m.

Warren 15, Glenbrook North 5 (6 innings): Joshlynn Kirkwood was the winning pitcher for No. 3 Warren, which improved to 23-7 with the win over No. 11 Glenbrook North in the Spartans' Class 4A regional championship game.

Leading the Blue Devils' offense were Lily Barrera (3-for-4, grand slam), Hannah Conger (3-for-4, 2 RBI) and Camryn Guldberg (2-for-3, triple, 3 RBI).

Barrera's grand slam gave Warren a 4-1 lead in the second inning.

"Joshlynn started on the mound and pitched well," said Warren coach Jenna Charbonneau. "Camryn (Guldberg) came in relief and held them to 2 runs."

Warren will face Libertyville on Wednesday at 4 p..m in the Warren sectional semifinal.

Mundelein 5, Prospect 0: Top-seeded Mundelein improved to 33-1 by winning its own Class 4A regional championship over No. 9 Prospect (13-16).

Mundelein sophomore Shae Johnson (22-1) struck out 11 with a 4-hitter and 2 walks to blank the Knights.

It was Mundelein's first regional crown since 2006, and the Mustangs will play the winner of Saturday's Stevenson regional title game between the host Patriots and Palatine on Tuesday at the Warren sectional.

Gabby Dilan (3-for-3) had 3 of Prospect's 4 hits while catcher Gianna Catanzano had the other.

"Lina (Calvacca) did a great job on the mound," said Knights coach Krystina Mackowiak tonight. "Unfortunately we gave up a big inning at the start of the game and weren't able to recover. I am proud of these girls for not giving up and fighting until the last pitch."

Leading the Mundelein offense were sophomore Kieley Tomas (3-for-4, 2 runs, 3 stolen bases) and junior Claire Connelly (2-for-3, double, 2 RBI), who surpassed the Mustangs’ single-season record for most RBI (69), breaking her own previous mark of 67.

In the top of the sixth, Mundelein sophomore Kieley Tomas made a diving catch in center field for the second out of the inning.

"Our goal from the beginning of the year was to start winning championships and getting that '24 up on our state record board," said Mundelein coach Heather Ryan. "While we are savoring this regional win after 18 years without one, we are looking forward to the challenge and excitement of sectional play."