By Drake Skleba

 

ORLAND PARK - One hit. That is all Homewood-Flossmoor senior left-hander Aaron Hauge allowed in leading his Vikings to a 4-1 Southwest Suburban Conference Blue Division win over Sandburg. The Heartland Community College-bound Hauge totally dominated the division-leading Eagles, allowing one single, an unearned run and striking out seven. Only four balls were hit out of the infield and the talented senior did not walk a batter.

 

“Aaron is the real deal,” said H-F head coach Todd Sippel. “He was absolutely outstanding tonight. He dominated a very good team in Sandburg. Aaron beat them here 3-2 last year and he pitched even better against them tonight.”

 

The only run Sandburg (20-9, 8-3) was able to muster against Hauge was on a pair of two-base throwing errors in the bottom of the first inning. The first Eagle hit came in the bottom of the fourth, when junior catcher Mike Malfeo led off the inning with a solid shot to left.

 

H-F (19-5; 5-4) had tied the score in the top of the third at 1. After two outs, Viking junior DH Ryan Rasmus walked and went to third on a double by junior left fielder Steven Roman (2-for-4, 2B, RBI). Sandburg starting and losing pitcher Ryan Billo (4-4) unleashed a wild pitch, scoring Rasmas and the game was tied.

 

The game remained tied until the seventh. Viking No. 9 hitter, senior centerfielder Jack Sheehan, singled. After one out, junior second baseman David Stern singled to center, Sheehan stopping at second. Hauge (1-for-4) moved both runners up with a roller to first. Rasmas then hit a rocket to the base of the centerfield fence, scoring Sheehan and pinch runner senior Kevin Dunn for a 3-1 Viking lead.

 

“Ryan is our second best hitter and really came up with a huge two-out, two RBI double,” said Sippel. “He crushed that ball against the wind. In most parks that ball would have been gone.”

 

Roman ripped a single scoring Rasmas to give Hauge a three-run cushion as the game went to the bottom of the seventh.

 

“It was a big adrenalin rush hitting the big two-out double,” said Rasmas. “Aaron pitched a perfect game for us. It was just what we needed. I have really been hitting the ball recently. We have had a great season thus far and I see us continuing to play good baseball.”

 

Hauge closed out the Eagles in order in the seventh. With the win, Hauge improves to 6-1 on the year. The hard-throwing lefty now has 79 Ks in 42 innings and lowered his ERA to 0.83.

 

“We knew we had to come out big tonight,” said Hauge. “The Sandburg hitters are very good and fought off a lot of my pitches. I only struck out seven tonight, which is a credit to the Sandburg hitters. This was the third time in the last two years Billo and I have matched up. Ryan Rasmas has really been hitting well for us and his double was really huge.”

 

With the defeat, Sandburg suffers its third SWSC- Blue defeat. Lincoln-Way Central and Lockport entered SWSC-Blue action at 6-2. L-W Central was at L-W East tonight and Lockport hosted Joliet Township.

 

“One hit and four errors,” said Sandburg head coach Doug Sutor. “We are not going to win with that. We have to bounce Friday and win at H-F to have a chance at the conference championship.”