Softball Game Preview: Elk Grove Grenadiers vs. Palatine Pirates

For the first time this season, Elk Grove will have a chance to prove themselves in a conference matchup. They will look to defend their home field on Monday against the Palatine Pirates at 4:45 p.m. Elk Grove will be strutting in after a win while Palatine will be coming in after a loss.

On Saturday, Elk Grove needed a bit of extra time to put away Niles North. They won by a run and slipped past the Vikings 3-2.

Bella Andrade spent all eight innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned (and one unearned) run on five hits and racked up nine Ks.

On the hitting side, Kaitlin Wirtz was excellent, going 1-for-4 with one triple, one run, and one RBI. That run marked the first that she scored this season.

Meanwhile, Palatine was not able to break out of their rough patch on Saturday as the team picked up their fourth straight defeat. They came up short against Jacobs, falling 14-6.

Palatine's loss dropped their record down to 2-4-1. As for Elk Grove, their victory bumped their record up to 3-1.

Elk Grove skirted past Palatine 5-3 in their previous matchup back in April of 2024. Will the Grenadiers repeat their success, or do the Pirates have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.