Courtney Walker struck out eight and allowed just one Prospect runner to reach third base, raising her record to 20-4 in Fremd’s 4-0 blanking of the visiting Knights Monday.
The Fremd senior allowed just three hits and two walks, earning her 10th shutout of the season. Prospect had only two runners on base in one inning, the top of the seventh, when the Vikings committed two errors. All eight of her strikeouts came against the first six batters in Prospect’s order.
“You have to give her credit,” said Viking coach Rob Harris, whose team improved to 25-6 and 14-2 in Mid-Suburban action. “She struck out the heart of their order.”
All four Fremd runs scored in the first inning after the hosts loaded the bases on walks to Tracy Bieniasz and Robyn Pettinger, along with a hit batsman. Kari Kreuz drove home the first run on a line drive past the shortstop. The other three runs crossed the plate on a long drive by Courtney Royal that glanced off the right fielder’s glove for a two-base error.
The two clubs then settled into a pitchers’ duel between Walker and Prospect’s Jenny Varner.
“Getting those early runs makes you feel a little more comfortable,” said Walker, who has been pitcher of record in all 16 Fremd MSL games. “I threw primarily fastballs. We didn’t call many changeups because I was getting my fastball over.”
Prospect centerfielder Sara Jacobus put the kibosh on a potential Viking run in the second inning by heaving a perfect throw to catcher Jessica Edward to nail Deann Shedd at the plate. Fremd only had one runner reach third base in the next four innings.
Edward doubled with two outs in the first for Prospect (14-12, 11-5) , but was left stranded. The Knights’ only other hits were a third-inning single by Holly Rothstein and a fourth-inning base hit by sophomore Stephanie Richenberger.
Varner surrendered just five hits and one earned run. She did not record a strikeout and only walked the two first-inning batters.
“We can’t make mistakes against good teams like Fremd and expect to win,” said Prospect coach Larry Tanaka. “Jenny pitched well, but she’s got to bear down and throw more strikes. She did a nice job after the first, but the horses were already gone and we couldn’t come back.”
Fremd’s other hits were singles by Robyn Pettinger, Becky VanBramer, Bieniasz and Shedd.
A victory would have given Prospect an outright MSL-South title. Even with Hoffman Estates’ victory Monday, however, the Knights will still represent the South in the league championship on May 21 at Buffalo Grove. Fremd finished second to Buffalo Grove in the MSL North.
