In a West Suburban conference matchup Lyons Township (8-3) traveled to Oak Park-River Forest (8-2) and took both games of a double-header. Lyons took game one by a score of 4-0 and game two by a score of 3-1. 

Game 1

Lyons Township sent junior right-handed pitcher Grant Leader to the mound in game one of the double header. The Illinois commit, was his usual dominant self, attacking hitters with a lively fastball and mixing in two different breaking balls and a changeup for good measure throughout. Leader’s final line was 6.2 innings, two hits, no runs, 14 strikeouts and two walks. Leader was looking for the complete game shutout but walked his final hitter of the day and in doing so reached his pitch limit. Junior right-hander Michael Walsh came on and made quick work of the final batter, inducing a comebacker to preserve the 4-0 win.

Lyons got their scoring started by scoring three unearned runs in the top of the third inning. With two outs in the frame, Will Stenner lifted a ball to left field. The ball bounced out of the glove of the left fielder and two runs were able to score on the error. Stenner would later score on a ground ball that was thrown away on the infield. Lyons tacked on one more in the fourth inning on a Bryce Moskiewicz single to left field which scored Michael Martino who led off the frame with a single.

Oak Park-River Forest left-handed pitcher Henry Darrow threw well in relief. Darrow went the final 3.2 innings scattering three hits, no runs, struck out six and walked one.

Moskiewicz and Jack Ferraro each had two hits to lead the Lyons offense.  

Game 2

Trailing 1-0 in the top of the seventh inning, Lyons scored three runs to come from behind and stun Oak Park-River Forest. Danny Machaj led off the frame with a single and later scored the game-tying run on a single up the middle by Stenner. Stenner and Martino later scored the go-ahead runs on a single to left field by Matt Piento.

The Huskies of Oak Park-River Forest scored their run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Mason Hsieh-Bailey reached on an error to lead off the frame and advanced to third base on a Brian May double. Hsieh-Bailey later scored on a ground out by Jake Adams.

Both starting pitchers were outstanding throughout. Lyons starter, junior Eric Steensma, got the complete game win, going seven innings, scattered two hits, one unearned run, struck out five and walked two. Steensma worked in the low-to-mid 80’s and routinely went to curveball that kept the Huskie hitters off balance. Steensma was efficient throughout, throwing a total of 81 pitches in the seven innings with 71% of them landing for strikes.

Huskie starter, junior right-hander Griffin Holderfield, was equally as impressive and had the Lyons shutout through the first six innings. The Creighton commit, peppered the strike zone early on with a fastball that sat 86-88 mph, touching 89. He settled in anywhere from 84-88 and, like Steensma, routinely went to his breaking ball as an out pitch. Holderfield went back out for the seventh inning but was unable to complete his impressive performance. In the end Holderfield went 6.2 innings, scattered seven hits, gave up three runs, struck out six and walked one.

Piento and Ferraro collected two hits apiece to pace the Lyons offense. May finished with two hits and a double in the loss.

For more in-depth notes from the game - and all other games that we cover - visit the Illinois Scout Blog later.

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