By Drake Skleba

 

ROSELLE ? In a crucial Upstate 8 Conference-Valley Division battle, Waubonsie Valley defeated Lake Park 8-7 in nine innings. With the win, Waubonsie Valley (17-12; 16-8) moves closer to a Valley championship. South Elgin (21-8; 15-8) blanked Bartlett 6-0 on Wednesday to stay in the race.

 

Waubonsie Valley senior LF Mike Murphy did it all for the Warriors on Wednesday. Murphy (2-for-2, 2B, 2R, 2RBI, 2BB) doubled in the first Warrior run home in the Warrior three-run first inning. Murphy made it 4-0 on a sac-fly in the second inning.

 

In leftfield, Murphy gunned down two Lancer base-runners at the plate, and was on base four times for the Warriors.

 

?This was a big win for us. We really would like to win the conference,? said Murphy. ?I was fortunate to have both singles hit right to me and I was able to let it fly and EJ (Eric Josupait) put the tag on the runners. I was seeing the ball really good.?

 

Lake Park scored two runs after two out to close the gap to 4-2 after three innings. Lancer starting pitcher, Jake Pygman, doubled home the first Lancer run and senior 3B Zach Tsidorias (3-for-5, R, RBI) singled home the second tally of the frame.

 

The Warriors answered with three runs in the top of the fourth. Winning pitcher Kyle Limanowski singled home a run and senior SS Ryan Vega doubled home Limanowski for a 7-2 Warrior lead. The first run of the inning was scored on another Lancer miscue.

 

Lake Park (20-12; 13-9) picked up single tally in the fifth on an RBI single from junior CF Nick Turner. Lancer sophomore C Tom Spear followed with a single to left but Murphy fired a strike to Warrior senior C Eric Josupait (2-for-5) to nail senior1B Brett Saracino at the plate to end the inning.

 

In the sixth, the Lancers picked up an unearned run, as Waubonsie Valley, committed a couple of errors in the inning.

 

In the bottom of the seventh, once again after two outs, the Lancers rallied for three runs to tie the game at 7-7. Senior 2B Dean Kise walked with the bases loaded against Limanowski (1-0) who came in relief in the sixth of Warrior starting pitcher Mitch Stefani. Lancer junior pinch-hitter Nico Chaidez tied the game with a clutch two-run single. Lancer SS Brandon Boyle hit a shot to left that appeared to be the game-winner. Murphy again unloaded a laser to Josupait who tagged Kise out at the plate to send the game into extra innings.

 

In the top of the ninth, Warrior SS Ryan Vega (2-for-5) singled and was sacrificed to second by Warrior 3B Harry Vickers. Junior Jim Palasz ripped a shot that Lancer junior reliever Jeremy Olenek snared and forced Vega in a run-down between second and third. Stefani walked. Warrior No. 9 hitter Chris Anderson popped up and we thought we were heading to the tenth. The ball, however, was dropped by the third baseman for the sixth Lancer error of the game and pinch-runner senior Matt Schapen scampered across the plate for the eventual game-winner.

 

Limanowski struck out three in the bottom of the ninth, allowing a one-out single  to Tsidorias, to put the Warriors a win away from at least a co-championship in the U8C Valley.

 

The two clubs will meet again in Aurora on Thursday at 4:30.

?It was a big win for us to put us up in the conference race,? said Waubonsie Valley head coach Dan Fezzuoglio. ?Mike Murphy was huge for us today. Mike is a senior and he did everything for us. Kyle Limanowski hung tough on the mound for us again.?