PREP NOTES
Rieuwpassa leads Waukegan to softball win
Stephanie Rieuwpassa had one of those games Friday that makes you realized just how good a softball player she is.
The Waukegan High junior -- one of this area's top players -- was at her best on Friday, leading the Bulldogs past Libertyville 4-3 in a non-conference game.
On the mound, Rieuwpassa pitched all seven innings and got the win.
At the plate, she turned the game around in her final two at-bats, including belting a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth over the temporary fence put up at Dugdale Park to tie the game.
Then, with two out in the bottom of the seventh, she ripped a walk-off single that earned Waukegan its eighth win in 23 games.
The other big stick for Waukegan was Praises Vega, who went 2 for 4 with 2 runs scored.
Prep baseball
WAUKEGAN 6, Z-B 4: The Bulldogs improved to 9-14 with a non-league win over rival Zion-Benton. Denzelle Denson, who will play next year at NCAA Division II Wisconsin-Parkside, went 2 for 3 with a homer and double. Luis Rodriguez pitched into the seventh and got the win. Waukegan led 6-1 but Zion challenged before falling two runs short.
CL CENTRAL 10, GRAYSLAKE NORTH 9: The Knights fell to 8-13 overall with an odd-looking loss. Central scored 10 runs in the first three innings, then were completely shut down by relief pitcher Brandon Schroth. Nick Harrington, the starting and losing pitcher for the Knights, went 3 for 4 at the plate and scored 3 times. Jordan Field drove in three runs.
LAKE ZURICH 9, STEVENSON 5: The Bears finished 10-2 in the North Suburban Lake and will represent the division in the NSC Championship Game at Antioch by virtue of holding the tiebreaker over Mundelein, which also finished 10-2 in the league. Dan Zummo was the winning pitcher and he's now 7-0. He also went 4 for 4 at the plate, while Steve Cleary drove in four runs. The Bears are 22-5 overall.
VERNON HILLS 6, GRANT 1: Brad Schnitzer pitched a six-hitter, fanning nine as Vernon Hills closed in on the North Suburban Prairie title. He helped his own cause by getting three hits.
SOFTBALL
Z-B 8, LAKE FOREST 1: Sophomore Jessica Munda fanned 14, walked 1 and allowed 5 hits in pitching Zion-Benton (17-8 overall, 7-5 in the North Suburban Lake) to its seventh straight win. She fanned the side in the 2nd, 3rd and 5th innings. Freshman outfielder Shannon Lauret had three hits and scored three times, while Jennifer Lotz, Abby Hanson and Aleaha Hallgren each went 2 for 4 for the red-hot Bees.
LAKE ZURICH 2, STEVENSON 0: Katie Buczynski pitched a two-hitter, fanning six as the Bears (12-0 in the North Suburban Lake and 20-3 overall) made two first-inning runs stand up.
VERNON HILLS 4, GRANT 0: The Cougars completed a perfect 12-0 run through the North Suburban Prairie and will host mighty Lake Zurich in the North Suburban Conference Championship Game next Thursday. Marci Pasquesi pitched a six-hitter , fanning three and walking none. Erin Christensen, Pasquesi and Alyssa Dougherty all went 2 for 4 for the division champs (25-3).
MUNDELEIN 5, WARREN 2: Mundelein scored four times in the fifth and once in the sixth to take a North Suburban Lake decision from Warren. Leslie Harshey outpitched Jessica Capko and got the win. Mundelein (14-14 overall, 6-6 in the NSC Lake) got three hits from Sarah Clauser, and two from both Capko and Alex Booker. ANTIOCH 6, LAKES 4: Ashley Mysliwiec and Allie Antilla each hit two-run homers in the bottom of the seventh as Antioch stunned Lakes in North Suburban Prairie play.
GIRLS SOCCER
LAKE FOREST 3, NILES NORTH 0: Finley Amato and Taylor Edwards combined on the shutout as the Scouts improved to 14-3 with a non-conference win. Edwards stopped a Niles shot on a breakaway to preserve the shutout. Lighting the lamp for the winners were Claire Palotsis, Meaghan Laughlin and Holly Wark. Wark went top shelf with a 30-yard rocket to complete the scoring.
LAKES 2, LOYOLA 2: The Eagles settled for a tie after building a 2-0 edge and are now 12-8-1. Ashley Chernich scored from Lisa Raetzman and Alex Neal scored on a PK for the Eagles. Lakes was coming off a quality 1-0 win over Libertyville that came on the heels of a disappointing loss to Antioch.