No. 7 Plainfield North, Renzi blank Naperville North

By Drake Skleba

NAPERVILLE - After ?winning ugly? in its first two victories of 2011, No. 7 Plainfield North (3-0) put it all together in a rousing 10-0 victory over No. 39 Naperville North in five innings. Tiger senior ace RHP Sean Renzi (1-0) fired a one-hit shutout at the Huskies, striking out four. The Tiger bats exploded for 15 hits to go along with their 10 runs.

?We really struggled in our first two wins,? said Plainfield North head coach John Darlington. ? We really played well today. We hit the ball, played good defense and with Sean (Renzi) on the mound, it was a great win over a great team and program.?

The Tigers put a four spot on the board in the first inning. Renzi doubled home a pair of runs and senior 1B Pat Cashman followed with a two-run single, the first of three singles, on the day for Cashman.

?I got a lot of good pitches to hit,? said Cashman. ?I hit a lot of line drives. We knew that Naperville North was a good team and came out and played well.?

In the Plainfield North third, the Tigers put the game away with a five-run outburst. Tiger senior lead-off man CF Evan Whaley just missed a grand slam and had to settle for a bases-clearing double.

?My job as leadoff man is to see a lot of fastballs,? said Whaley. ? I hit the fastballs well today. I believe we have a terrific team and are looking forward to a great season.?

In the fourth, junior 2B Caleb Kissler singled home Cashman with the 10th Tiger run. Kissler had three hits in the No. 2 hole for the Tigers.

?It was an all-around great performance by the team,? said Kissler. ? We all really hit the ball well.?

Meanwhile on the mound, Renzi was dealing. The hard-throwing senior was baffling Naperville North with his fastball an sharp breaking ball. Renzi took a no-hitter into the fifth. Naperville North junior LF Connor Adamski ripped a solid single and Renzi had to settle for a one-hitter. On the next Huskie hitter, Renzi induced
a ground ball to 3B Brian Evak, who went around the horn to Kissel at second and to Cashman at first for the 5-4-3  double play. To close out the Naperville North 4th, the same Tiger trio turned a 5-4-3 twin-killing to close out  the inning.

?I was able to throw a lot of ground balls,? said Renzi. ? My defense was great especially when turning those two double plays. I had a good at bat in the first and it was good to double in those runs and get an early lead.?

The Huskies of Naperville North (0-2) are very young. Huskie head coach Carl Hunckler starts eight juniors and a sophomore, rebuilding from 2010?s school-record 30-win squad.

?We are very,very young,? said Hunckler. ?It should be a very interesting season, watching us develop game-by-game.?