By Sean Duncan

WINNETKA - Any time New Trier and Loyola play, throw the record book out the window. Or in the case of Thursday?s nonconference showdown between the two neighborhood rivals, it would?ve been preferred to have taken the record book, along with some kindling, and burned it in vain effort to keep the brave fans and posse of pro scouts from getting frostbite.

Yeah, it was cold ? really, really cold ? at Duke Childs Field, but this long-time rivalry always has a way of warming the soul (sigh). Or at least for the winner.

On Thursday, New Trier and its fan base enjoyed a quicker thaw after the Trevians crow-barred a 1-1 tie in the fifth to win 9-3.

New Trier senior right-hander Brian Kost, who had lost a heartbreaker to the Ramblers during the basketball season, exacted some revenge by throwing six solid innings to improve to 1-1 for the year. The 6-foot-4, 190-pound University of Illinois recruit scattered six hits, struck out five and walked two to help the Trevians improve to 4-3. He held Loyola (1-7) scoreless through four innings ? enough time for New Trier?s offense to warm up.

?Loyola ? it?s always good to get that ?W? against those guys,? said Kost. ?I knew I was getting the start a couple weeks ago, so I had time to prepare for it. We will win our share of games, but Loyola is definitely sweeter.?

 

Locked in a pitchers? duel with Loyola junior left-hander Jon Savarise (0-2), New Trier busted open a 1-1 tie with four runs in the bottom of the fifth. After consecutive one-out walks, senior first baseman Eric West sliced a two-run double to right field, and came around to score on senior Kevin Samuelson?s pinch-hit double.

Samuelson also delivered a two-run homer during New Trier?s four-run sixth inning. The senior finished 2-for-2 with three RBI.

 

?I?ve been struggling a little bit, but today I was fortunate to get ahead in the count and took advantage of it,? said Samuelson.

 

Despite the frigid temperature, pro scouts were out en masse to see New Trier star outfielder Charlie Tilson, the No. 1-ranked player in the Class of 2011 and one of the top outfield prospects in the country. Tilson went 1-for-3 with two runs scored, two stolen bases and a walk. Even with his two outs, Tilson displayed his blazing speed, as he ran a 3.96 home-to-first time. Tilson ignited the rally in the fifth when he induced a one-out walk, stole second and third, and scored on West?s hit. In the sixth, he singled and eventually scored on a passed ball. New Trier second baseman Eddie Fay, who also showed quickness on the bases, went 1-for-1 with two walks and two runs scored, and West finished with three RBI.

?I thought we played well,? said New Trier coach Mike Napoleon. ?We didn?t make any errors, we had solid pitching and ran the bases well.?

 

Catcher Logan Spurlin delivered a two-run single in the sixth inning to pace

Loyola. The Ramblers committed an error in the fifth and sixth innings, each contributing to New Trier scoring eight runs in that span.

Savarise pitched much better than what the scored showed. The left-hander yielded only two hits through four innings as he kept the Trevians off-balance with a good mix of three pitches. In 5.2 innings, he allowed seven hits, three earned runs, and struck out four.

 

?Jon Savarise had a good outing for us,? said Loyola coach Bill San Hamel. ?He competed and gave us a chance to win. ?We give too many runs away right now.?