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Lincoln-Way North Outlasts Lemont in 10 inning Pitcher's Duel

April 20, 2014

By Ryan Quigley
Area Scout

No. 13 Lincoln-Way North 4, No. 4 Lemont 3 – 10 Innings

FRANKFORT, IL – On a beautiful spring day two of the Chicago-land area’s top 25 teams squared off as fans from both teams were treated to superb pitching performances all around.  Lincoln-Way North outlasted Lemont 4-3 in ten innings to hand the Indians their first lost on the season.

Lemont (10-1) scratched out a run in the first inning off Purdue bound Lincoln-Way North (9-1) starter Kyle Ostrowski, but runs on this day would be at a premium. Ostrowski worked out of a two-men-on, one out jam in the first with a pop up, and punctuated the end of the inning with a 91 mph heater, painted on the outside corner to strand both runners.

From the second to the seventh Ostrowski settled into a groove and was locked into a pitching duel with Lemont sophomore Garret Acton, who relieved senior southpaw Charlie Wright (Joliet Junior College, 3 IP, 2 R, 4 K’s). At one point Ostrowski retired fifteen out of sixteen Indian hitters. 

The drama started to unfold in the top half of the seventh. Leading 2-1 Ostrowski struck out the leadoff hitter, then followed with a walk and a hard single to left by Lemont sophomore second basemen Nick Wisz. After a swinging strikeout on an 87 mph fastball up in the zone, the stage was set for Ostrowski to finish off his masterpiece, but Lemont coach Brian Storako and his Indians had other plans. 

A gutsy two-out double steal put runners on second and third with two outs. Junior nine-hole hitter Jamie Glista battled to a 3-2 count. Ostrowski unleashed a wild pitch, scoring Lemont senior Eric Tucker from third and knotting the game up at 2. Lemont then took the lead on a Ryan Folliard bouncing single up the middle off North senior reliever David Calderon (Morehead State).

Despite being one strike away from a victory, the Phoenix battled back in the bottom half of the seventh taking advantage of a Lemont defensive miscue. With two outs and men on first and second, Phoenix centerfielder Josh Mutter bounced a six hopper between the first and second basemen. Acton was late getting over to first base and an errant throw on what would have been a bang-bang play at first allowed Zach Hoekstra to score from second, knotting the score at 3, and taking it into extra innings.

Acton and Calderon battled back and forth over the next three frames. Finally, in the bottom half of the tenth North three-hole hitter Erik Eggert walked off with a single driven into the left center gap scoring DJ Lee from second. Lee finished an impressive three-for-four on the day with two walks. Calderon struck out six in 3.1 innings of scoreless relief to notch the victory. Despite taking the loss, Acton threw six innings of six-hit ball, striking out five, with four walks and two HBP.     

Statistical Highlights

+ Michael Papierski, Lemont, C, 2014, LSU commit: 2-4, 2 singles, BB

+ Charlie Wright, Lemont, LHP, 2014, JJC commit: 3 IP, 2 R, 2ER, 5 H, 4K, 2BB

+Garret Acton, Lemont, RHP, 2016: 6 IP, 2 R, 1 ER, 6 H, 5K, 4BB, 2HBP

+Kyle Ostrowski, L-Way North, LHP, 2015, Purdue commit: 6.2 IP, 3R, 3ER, 4H, 6K, 3BB

+DJ Lee, L-Way North, 2B, 2014, Richmond commit: 3-4, 3 singles, 2 BB

+David Calderon, L-Way North, 2014, Morehead State commit: 3.1 IP, 0R, 1 H, 6K, 1 BB  

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