Lockport, Mastela sink Sandburg

By Drake Skleba

LOCKPORT - Lockport scored three of its five runs after two outs and went on to defeat Sandburg 5-2 at Ed Flink Field. Porter senior LHP Mike Hamilton (3-1) fired a six-hitter at the Eagles. Hamilton struck out nine,  including the last two Eagles to end the game.

Lockport (9-6; 3-0) struck first in the bottom of the first. After one out, Porter senior DH John Kosmowski (2-for-3, R) and St. Joseph?s College-bound 2B Matt Skrzypiec (2-for-3, RBI) singled, Kosmowski going to third. With two outs, Sandburg senior RHP Nick Bates (2-2) uncorked a wild pitch and Kosmowski scampered home with the first Porter run.

Sandburg evened things up in the third on an RBI single from Eagle EIU-bound SS Brant Valach.

After two outs, the Porters answered back in the bottom of the third. Skrzypiec lined an RBI single to put the Porters back up 2-1. Junior RF Austin Mastela followed with another clutch two-out RBI and the Porters had a two-run lead at 3-1.

?We had a great approach at the plate,? said Skrzypiec. ?Mike Hamilton pitched a great game for us. I was really feeling it tonight at the plate. It felt good. We have to have the same approach against those guys on Saturday.?

Sandburg closed to within one on an RBI single by junior 2B Zach Reks (2-for-4, RBI) in the top of the fifth.

Once again the Porters responded in the bottom of the fifth. Once again it was Austin Mastela who came through.

The Porters loaded the bases against Bates with nobody out. Skrzypiec appeared to have hit a back-breaking grand-slam but the home plate umpire said the ball went
foul. Bates picked up a big strikeout of Skrzypiec but Mastela responded with a clutch two-run single to give Lockport a 5-2 lead.

?We really stepped up today,? said Mastela. ?I had a good day at the plate. I wanted to put the ball in play and drive in those runs.?

Hamilton picked up three of his nine Ks in the last two innings, closing the game with a flourish, fanning the heart of the Eagle lineup, No. 3 hitter Mike Malfeo and Valach.

?I am friends with Mike (Malfeo) and Brant (Valach). I play with a number of the Sandburg players on our travelling team,? said Hamilton. ?I was really pumped up to get the complete game against them. It was great to get Mike and Brant, who are both great hitters, to end the game.?

Porter sophomore CF Ted Snidanko chipped in with a single to ignite the big Porter fifth. The top four hitters in the Lockport lineup contributed to the seven Porter hits.

?Mike (Hamilton) really stepped up for us and pitched a great game,? said Lockport head coach Andy Satunas. ?Mike has to be the man for us on the mound and he really came through today. It was great to get the clutch hits from Matt (Skrzypiec) and Austin (Mastela). We have a tough one in Orland Park on Saturday. I am really pleased with the great start we have had in conference.?

Sandburg (7-5; 2-1) will host Lockport at 11 on Saturday morning.

?It would be really be nice to get a big hit once in a while,? said venerable Sandburg head coach  Doug Sutor, who will retire at the end of the season. ?We left way to many men on base. We have to comeback and win on Saturday to get a split in conference.?