Friday May 14

 

By Drake Skleba

 

In the Catholic Blue: No. 5 Providence (25-9; 15-2) wrapped up the Catholic Blue title with a 16-9 win over Mt.Carmel. Celtic junior Collin McEnery homered twice, including a grand slam and drove in six runs. Senior Tim Hanrahan also hammered a grand slam. Junior catcher Dan Potempa chipped in with a homer and four RBI. Junior LHP Matt Trowbridge improved to 6-1 with the win.

 

In the North Suburban Lake: No. 2 Stevenson (24-3; 8-2) and No. 6 Warren (25-5; 8-2) both were surprised on Friday in Lake Division action.

 

Lake Zurich (16-14; 4-6), behind 6-foot-1 junior RHP Parker Asmann, stunned Stevenson 4-3. Asmann fired a complete game five-hitter and struck out six. Stevenson (24-3; 8-2) will travel to No.6 Warren on Monday.

 

Lake Forest (12-15; 3-7) shocked Warren 9-5 as Scout junior Spencer Stiltz had two hits, including a monster three-run blast to sink the Blue Devils. Warren (25-5; 8-2) will meet Stevenson on Monday and Tuesday for the NSC-Lake crown.

 

In the DuPage Valley: No. 3 Naperville Central (26-4; 17-1) clinched a share of the DVC title with an 11-1 five-inning romp over West Chicago. Kansas State-bound left-hander Shane Conlon allowed one hit, one unearned run and struck out nine in improving to 7-0 on the mound. Redhawk senior second baseman Matt Soria had two hits and drove in three for the DVC champs.

 

No.10 Naperville North (24-6; 14-4) rallied past Wheaton North 8-7 on a three-run homer from 6-foot-6 senior first baseman Andrew Arenson. Senior RHP Kyle Klosak improved to 6-2 on the season with the win in relief.

 

In the NCIC-Reagan: Streator (24-6; 10-0) junior LHP Gunther Libby fired a two-hit shutout at Morris in leading the Bulldogs to a 10-0 six-inning victory and clinching the NCIC-Reagan Division championship. Libby fanned 10 and had no-hit the Redskins through five innings.

 

Mt. Vernon (25-4) made it 16 straight as the Tigers defeated Edwardsville 2-1 on Friday in a nonconference game. Junior LHP Wes Mason (6-1) fired a complete game four-hitter at Edwardsville (21-8). Senior Jason Stuckey drove home the Tiger runs as the South Seven champs continue to roll.

 

Two-time defending Class 2A champion Stanford Olympia (26-7) tuned up for the state tournament, which begins Monday, with a 3-0 win over Maroa-Forsyth. Olympia sophomore lefty Jack Turner improved to 6-2 on the season with a two-hit shutout. Turner fanned 10 and received offensive help from junior Chase Hainline, who homered for the only run Turner would need.

 

In the Fox Valley Valley: McHenry (19-7; 14-4) rolled past Huntley 7-2 behind a complete game four-hitter from junior RHP Pat Murphy (8-2). Warrior SS Chase Matheson had three hits and drove in one. Warrior Kevin Wollscheid chipped in with two hits and a pair of RBI. Huntley (20-7; 13-5) drops a game off the pace in the FVC Valley race.

 

In the Interstate 8 Conference: Lisle (22-9; 12-4 North) defeated Herscher 8-1 to win the North Division crown, the first conference championship since 1977 for the DuPage County school. The game was played at Benedictine University on Friday night.

 

The Lions rode the powerful right arm of Clemson-bound John Surber. Surber (6-1) fired a complete game two-hit masterpiece at the Tigers. Surber fanned a dozen hitters as the Lions, the North Division champ, rolled past Herscher, the South Division champions.

 

Lion junior Nick Thome crushed a first-inning grand slam to get the Lion party started. Senior John Koloski hit a two-run bomb to make it 6-0 and Surber added a two-run shot as well. Surber also singled and doubled on the night, falling a triple short of the cycle.

 

The two I-8 division champs could meet on Memorial Day, May 31, at the same Benedictine University. The 2010 Class 2A Benedictine University Super-Sectional will be played at 7 p.m. Lisle is the favorite in the Lisle (Sr.) Sectional played at Benedictine on May 26 & 29^th. Herscher is the favorite in the Watseka Sectional to be played on May 26^th, 27th and 29.

 

In the Southwest Suburban Blue: Lincoln-Way Central (19-6; 8-2) defeated Lincoln-Way East 2-1 behind a complete game by Knight senior RHP Bryan Hennessey (7-3).

 

Defending champ Sandburg (21-9; 9-3) rolled past Homewood-Fl ssmoor, 8-3. Eagle senior RHP Joe Greenfield improved to 7-1 with the win on the mound. Eagle junior second baseman Nick Bates had a perfect 4-for-4 day with two RBI.

 

Lockport (19-11;7-3) was stunned by Joliet 8-4 when Steelman Damon Softcheck hit a two-out game winning grand-slam in the bottom of the seventh in Joliet.

 

In the Central Suburban South: Maine South (17-8; 10-3) and Evanston (17-9; 9-3) kept pace. Maine South defeated Glenbrook South 8-2 behind a complete game win from junior RHP A.J. Sus (1-1). Junior Will Krug had a pair of hits and three RBI to lead the Hawks.

 

Evanston sophomore LHP Jordan Crawford (4-2) fired a complete game victory in leading the Wildkits to a 7-2 victory on Friday.