Softball: Bri Cavin, Conant edge Elk Grove

Updated: April 14, 2012 7:46PM

Conant pitcher Bri Cavin probably didn’t know whether to hug her defense, or to give them a much needed boost of confidence during Friday’s Mid Suburban West clash against Elk Grove.

The No. 7 Cougars committed six errors during their 6-4 win, but answered almost every miscue with a web gem. It was a roller coaster ride from start to finish.

“We were up and down and I think at points the excitement got to us,” said Cavin, who allowed six hits, struck out four and improved to 10-1. “But we definitely came back and pulled ourselves together.”

Especially in the last inning when the No. 5 Grenadiers (9-3, 2-1), down 6-1, pushed three runs across on consecutive RBI singles by Megan Keegan (2-for-4) and Carly Danek.

But a catch by left fielder Elisa Ambrose on foul ball down the left-field line, and an over the shoulder catch by second baseman Rachel O’Malley on a blooper to short right helped preserve the win for the Cougars (10-1, 3-0).

Michigan State-bound starter Dani Goranson (5-3) struck out 12 for Elk Grove, but walked two, and gave up nine hits and four earned runs. The biggest blow came in the bottom of the second off the bat of sophomore Telly Hunter, who stroked her third home run of the year, a two-run blast to right center. That gave the Cougars a 3-0 lead.

“I was watching it when I was running to first and I was really excited when it went over,” Hunter said.

The Cougars added two more in the third and another in the fifth. Allie Bauch, Rachel O’Malley, and catcher Miranda Cavin had two hits each. Kim Jacobson had a two-run single in the third.

Cougars center fielder Sarah Thompson, who made a catch at the wall in the third off the bat of Danek, added an RBI single.

“I thought Dani pitched a great game, they hit the ball hard three times,” Elk Grove coach Ken Grams said. “They made some great plays at times and that’s such the nature of the game. I don’t feel bad at all, we battled back.”

© 2013 Sun-Times Media, LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be copied or distributed without permission. For more information about reprints and permissions, visit www.suntimesreprints.com. To order a reprint of this article, click here.