Saturday, April 17 Roundup

 

By Drake Skleba

 

Lockport’s Bulthuis Unhittable …Lockport’s junior RHP Jake Bulthuis fired a no-hitter at No. 2 Minooka (14-4) on Saturday before the homefolks at historic Ed Flink Field in Lockport, as the Porters defeated the Indians 1-0.

 

Lockport’s junior second baseman Matt Skrzypiec homered to lead off the bottom of the sixth for the only run Bulthuis (3-1) would need. Bulthuis fanned nine Indian hitters. Lockport (10-5) completed a perfect 4-0 week heading into its Southwest Suburban Blue Divison opener with defending champion Sandburg at Flink Field on Tuesday.

 

No. 18 Moline (13-2; 3-1) and Rock Island (15-2; 3-1) split its huge Western Big Six Conference showdown in Moline on Saturday. In Game One, Moline won in dramatic fashion as Maroon junior right-handed starting pitcher Seth Fuller ended the proceedings in the bottom of the seventh with a three-run homer that gave Moline a 6-3 victory.

 

In Game Two, Rock Island’s freshman catcher Jake Scudder, with two out and two strikes in the bottom of the seventh, hit a dramatic game-tying blast to tie the game at 5. Senior SS Josh Keim would single home the game-winner as Rocky rallied for a 6-5 win.

 

Galesburg Leads Western Big 6….With Rock Island and Moline splitting, the Silver Streaks took advantage and jumped into the top spot in the WB6 with a sweep of United Township on Saturday. Galesburg (9-7; 4-0) won both games 5-2 and picked up a complete game four-hitter from junior Tyler Farrell in the first game.

 

Red-hot Normal West (10-5; 1-0) swept Champaign Central 15-2 and 12-2 in the Big 12 Conference. In Game One, junior Erik Sipes hit a two-run bomb. Fellow-junior Adam Seifert chipped with four hits for the Wildcats. On the mound, senior RHP Michael Collins improved to 2-1 on the season.

 

In Game Two, ISU-bound senior SS Brock Stewart led the Wildcats attack with four hits and four RBI. Junior Kyle Vaughn had a six-hit, five RBI day for the ‘Cats. On the mound, 6-foot-2 senior Tyler Emerson improved to 2-1 with the victory.

 

In other Big 12 action on Saturday….Danville (9-5; 1-0) swept Normal Community

5-4  and 8-7….Normal Community falls to 7-7; 0-1 in the Big 12…..Bloomington (9-7;1-0) won the Big 12 conference matchup with Mattoon 3-1 behind a complete-game five-hitter by senior Derek Gliwa, who fanned seven and improved to 3-1….In the nonconference second game, Mattoon defeated the Purple Raiders 10-9 in eight innings…

 

22 and Counting …No.1 Harrisburg (22-0) swept Effingham St. Anthony 12-1 and 7-3 in a nonconference twin-bill on Saturday. The top-ranked Bulldogs received home runs from junior third baseman Keelin Rasch, SIU-bound Kollin Dowdy, senior first baseman Dawson Montfort, senior catcher Noah King, freshman Ryne Roper and junior Cain Sheldon. The Bulldogs will face Benton (13-3; 4-2) and the Rangers senior catcher Mark Uhles (.653, 9HR, 33RBI) on Friday at 4:30.

 

Limestone hammered No. 8 IVC 12-2 in a nonconference game Saturday night in Bartonville. The Rockets (11-3) rolled thanks to home runs by senior first baseman Connor Webster and junior left fielder Lakin Foiles. Webster finished the day 3-for-3 with three RBIs, while Foiles and seniors Matt Johnson and Nick Hermann had two hits apiece. Hermann also had two RBIs.

 

Senior Luke Hermann (5-0) picked up the win for the Rockets by tossing a complete game  scattering four hits, striking out eight and walking just one.

 

IVC (15-3) suffered its second loss this week, after falling at Stanford Olympia (15-3) on Wednesday in the PBR Game of the Day.

 

Burlington Central (16-1; 2-0 Big Northern East) rolled past Larkin 9-6 for the Rockets 11^th consecutive victory. Junior Nick Hahn pitched and hit the Rockets past the Royals on Saturday. Hahn had two hits, including a homer and two RBIs. Hahn fired a complete-game to improve to 5-0 on the mound. Hahn’s senior battery mate Austin Jarvis continued his hot-hitting with a pair of hits. On Thursday, the PBR’s Drake Skleba will be at Rocket Hill for the Rockets Big Northern East showdown with the Harvard Hornets (12-3; 2-0 Big Northern East) at 4:30.

 

In the Catholic League on Saturday, No.6 St. Rita’s (13-3;3-1 Blue) junior Joe Filomeno and sophomore 3B Stefano Belmonte each hit their seventh home runs of the season as the Mustangs crushed Bishop McNamara 13-0. Filomeno hit a grand slam and Belmonte hit a two-run shot and had three RBIs. Arizona State-bound CF Mark Payton also homered and had three RBIs. Sophomore RHP Ed Delariva improved to 3-1 on the mound for the Mustangs……Filomeno and the red-hot Payton each hit three-run bombs as the Mustangs crushed Kimberly, Wisconsin 14-4.Senior RHP John Starcevich evened his record at 1-1…..No.7 St. Laurence (15-1;4-0 White) defeated Hales Franciscan 10-0 as junior LHP Nick Altabella (1-0) fired four no-hit innings at the Spartans…..De La Salle (8-3; 3-0 White) kept pace with St. Laurence in the White with a 12-8 win over St. Ignatius (9-5; 0-3 White). Meteor Pat Haynes improved to 3-0 with a complete-game performance….Mount Carmel (12-3; 4-0 Blue) and Providence (12-4;4-0 Blue) both rolled to easy crossover victories, setting up Monday’s huge Catholic Blue showdown at Provi ence….Mount Carmel’s sophomore LHP Frank Kelly fired a no-hitter and junior 1B Jeff Boehm hit a pair of homers as the Caravan routed Leo 19-0. … Providence blanked Seton 12-0…..Brother Rice (11-5;3-1 Blue) was led by junior C Conor Sullivan, who homered twice and drove in eight runs as the Crusaders defeated St. Francis de Sales 15-1…

 

In the East Suburban Catholic, Carmel (8-3; 2-0) made a statement by sweeping the defending Class 3A Champs, Joliet Catholic Academy (4-8; 0-2) in its conference opener, 9-5 and 11-5….Senior RHP Jon Huisel won both games on the mound for the Corsairs. Senior RF Derek Jordan homered in each game. NIU-bound first baseman Chris Divarco, LF Kyle Bessa and pinch hitter Connor Fitzgerald also went deep for the Corsairs in the sweep of the Hilltoppers….No.16 Nazareth Academy (12-2; 2-0) swept past St. Joseph 5-3 and 2-1, as junior RHPs Ryan Powers (3-0) and Patrick Kelly (3-0) both fired complete-game masterpieces. In Game One, Powers allowed one earned run and struck out 9…In Game Two, Kelly fanned 7….Kelly drove home a run in the first game win and Powers picked up a pair of RBIs, in the Roadrunner game two triumph…

 

Notre Dame (10-4; 2-0) swept Marist 4-3 and 8-4 as the Dons’ 6-foot-3 senior RHP

Phil Kerber improves to 4-0 with a complete game performance in Game One…Junior C Justin Sanetra drove home two including the Game One winner for the Dons…In Game Two senior RHP Matt Moser (1-2) picked up the win on the mound and seniors Sam Bungum and Mack Mondala each had a pair of hits and RBIs for the Dons.

 

In the Fox Valley on Saturday, Huntley 12-1;6-0 Valley) crushed Crystal lake Central 15-1 behind senior Phil Pupillo, who hit a grand slam and drove in six Red Raider runs….

 

In the West Suburban Gold on Saturday, No. 3 Downers Grove South (14-3; 5-0)

swept Hinsdale South 13-2 and 7-1.The Mustangs were led by Louisville recruit junior RHP Nick Burdi, Parkland College-bound senior RHP Jake Rone and Miami of Ohio-bound SS Dan Walsh. Burdi (3-0) struck 15, in Game One, in the Mustangs’ five-inning romp. Rone improved to 6-0 with a complete-game win and Walsh drove home seven Mustang runs with six hits in the doubleheader…..Leyden (10-5, 5-3) swept past Proviso East 15-0 and 11-1 behind a pair of complete game performances from junior Dan Savas and Eric Palmer…..Savas fanned 11 in the Game One shutout and Palmer fanned 12 in Game Two…Morton (7-7; 3-2) slipped past Addison Trail 3-1 and 1-0 to stay in contention in the Gold….Senior Jeremy Wilson and junior Danny Gonzales fired complete-game victories for the Mustangs. Wilson fanned 9 in Game One to improve to 2-3 on the season. Gonzales (3-0) fired a two-hit shutout striking out nine…

 

In the West Suburban Silver on Saturday, Lyons Township (12-4; 7-1) split a twin-bill with Oak Park (11-5; 4-4) in Western Springs. LT won the opener 6-2 and Oak Park rallied behind senior Andrew Godbold and junior Alec Jeffries in the nightcap. Godbold tied the game at 3 with a clutch single and then Jeffries delivered a two-out, two-run double to give the Huskies the Game Two win….. Hinsdale Central (6-6; 3-2) stayed in Silver contention with 9-0 and 11-6 sweep of Downers Grove North. Senior right-handed pitcher senior Will Pahos (2-1) fired a complete-game three-hit shutout at the Trojans. Red Devil junior SS Matt Anderson doubled, tripled and drove in three runs in the game one win. Senior CF Mac Burridge added three hits, including a triple and a pair of RBIs. In Game Two, Red Devil junior RHP John Spacapan fired a complete-game victory and improved to 3-1 on the season.

 

No. 4 Naperville Central (12-1) rallied past Barrington 6-5 in a nonconference game on Saturday. Illinois Weslyean-bound right fielder Bobby Czarnowski’s three-run double tied the game at 5 and then Northwestern-bound Nick Linne singled home the game-winner for the Redhawks. Kansas State-bound LHP Shane Conlon pitched the seventh for his first save of the season for sophomore Ian Lewandoski (2-1).

 

Dunlap stunned Stanford Olympia 9-4 in the first game of a nonconference doubleheader. The Spartans (15-4) rolled to a 12-2 win in game two…. Lincoln (8-5) swept a nonconference twin-bill with Mahomet-Seymour (14-4)… Springfield swept past Pleasant Plains (10-4) in a nonconference doubleheader. The Senators won 7-5 and 7-3… Rochester (14-2) split a doubleheader with Williamsville, winning game one 9-2 and falling to the Bullits in the nightcap 14-4.

 

Marmion swept past Streator 10-0 and 6-5 in a nonconference twin-bill in Aurora.

Cadet 6-foot-3 junior RHP Tyler Friel fired a no-hitter and struck out 8 in the Game One whitewash. In Game Two, Cadet 6-foot-2, 225-pound senior catcher Bobby Winkle hammered a three-run bomb to win it for the Cadets. Streator falls to 12-4.