Wednesday, May 5

 

By Drake Skleba

 

The defending Class 4A champions from New Trier (14-8) won their ninth consecutive victory, stunning No. 2 Stevenson 5-2 in Winnetka on Wednesday. Trevian junior RHP Brian Kost pitched the first five innings, allowing a pair of unearned runs to pick up the win. Trevian junior Charlie Tilson slammed the door on the hard-hitting Patriots in the sixth and seventh to pick up the save. Senior Gordie Campbell had a big pinch-hit RBI single for the rampaging Trevians.

 

Today at Duke Childs in Winnetka, New Trier (14-8; 6-3) will look for their 10^th consecutive win and a sweep of Central Suburban League leader Maine South (15-6; 8-1).

 

Minooka’s (21-7, 10-4) University of Texas-bound Mike Foltynewicz drilled the game-winning single in the bottom of the seventh to give the Indians a thrilling 3-2 victory and end No. 5 Plainfield North’s (22-3; 13-1) 38-game winning streak in the Southwest Prairie Conference. Minooka sophomores LHP Josh Jimenez fired a complete game seven-hitter, striking out 10, to improve to 8-0 on the season.

 

No.1 Harrisburg (29-0) defeated Goreville 11-1 in five innings on Tuesday for its school-record 29^th consecutive win. The 2010 Bulldogs surpass the previous record holders, the 2003 Bulldogs.

 

In the Catholic League: Brother Rice (19-7; 10-3) stayed in the hunt for their third consecutive CCL-Blue championship with a 7-4 win over No. 16 Mt. Carmel (18-8; 8-5) Sophomore RHP Ryan Koziol improved to 6-0 on the season as the super-soph fired a five-hit complete game. Koziol struck out 5…

 

Loyola (13-11;8-5) stunned No. 9 St. Laurence 3-2…St. Laurence falls to 24-3 and 11-2 in the Catholic White…De La Salle (16-7; 9-4 White) closed to within two games of the Vikings as the Meteors smashed Hales Franciscan 10-0 in a Catholic crossover game on Wednesday. De La Salle invades Burbank for a big White showdown on Saturday.

 

Sandburg (16-7), despite three home runs from Oak Forest junior standout Tim Barry, defeated the Bengals 14-11 in a nonconference game on Wednesday. Barry, who has hit nine homers in his last five games, now has hit 14 for the 2010 season.

 

The Eagles overcame Barry’s heroics by the outstanding 5-for-5 day by Eagle SS Vince Kmiec. Senior CF Matt Zemke and junior 2B Mike Malfeo both hit three-run homers for the Eagles.

 

In the North Suburban Lake: No.7 Warren (23-3; 7-1) defeated Lake Zurich 7-1 to pull into a first place tie with No. 2 Stevenson (23-2; 7-1) in the NSC-Lake. The Blue Devils junior RHP Ryan Kennedy allowed one run in his 6 1/3 innings of work to improve to 6-1 on the mound. His batterymate, senior catcher Scott Heelan, homered as well as senior Tim Bodine.

 

Libertyville (15-9; 7-3) completed their sweep of Mundelein 20-10 on Wednesday. Wildcat junior SS A.J. Schurr led the Wildcats with three hits and drove in three runs.

 

No.9 Chatham Glenwood (17-3; 10-0) defeated Taylorville 10-3 behind a complete game five-hitter from junior RHP Phil Maton (6-0). Maton fanned 10 for the Titans. The victory was the 28^th consecutive Titan victory in the Central State 8 Conference.

 

In a possible preview of the Class 1A Gardner (South Wilmington) Sectional Championship game on May 29, Ottawa Marquette (20-6) defeated Somonauk 7-5 in Ottawa on Wednesday. The win was the 15^th consecutive for the red-hot Crusaders.

Junior Joey Ceja doubled and had a pair of hits for the Crusaders. Somonauk falls to 19-2 on the season.

 

In the Du Page Valley, No.3 Naperville Central (21-4; 13-1) ended their two-game skid by defeating Wheaton North 4-3 on Wednesday. Senior Mason Hallett (3-0) fired a complete game four-hitter for the Redhawks.Wheaton North (20-5; 10-3) falls two games behind the Redhawks in the DVC…The two clubs will meet in Wheaton on Thursday…Naperville North (20-5;10-3) defeated Glenbard East 8-2 behind the complete game performance by senior RHP Harrison Katz (6-2).

 

In the Western Sun, G neva (19-5; 12-2) and De Kalb (16-5; 11-3) continued to roll.

Geneva defeated Batavia 19-9 in six innings. Viking senior 1B Jack Delabar, hit a three-run homer and drove in five Viking runs. DeKalb junior first baseman Jake Jouris went deep three times and drove in eight runs as the Barbs pounded Rochelle 16-5. Jouris hit a grand-slam, a three-run shot and a solo blast to keep the Barbs in striking distance in the WSC.

 

In the Fox Valley Fox: Prairie Ridge (17-8; 12-3) and Grayslake Central (17-6; 11-4) routed their opposition on Wednesday.

 

Prairie Ridge hammered Crystal Lake Central and their University of Oklahoma-bound RHP Connor Sadzek 11-1 in five innings. The Wolves chased Sadzek in the second behind the booming bats of seniors CF Justin Henderson and C Zach Seidlecki, who each hit a pair of homers for the Wolves. 6-foot-5 junior RHP Zack Coel improved to 7-0 on the season…Grayslake Central smashed winless Woodstock North 17-1 in five innings. Senior RHP Matt Murphy improved to 6-0 on the mound for the Rams.

 

In the Mid-Suburban League, division leaders Hersey (18-6; 7-3 East) and Fremd (13-9; 8-2 West) both were victorious on Wednesday. Hersey smashed Schaumburg 16-6 in five innings behind the big bat of senior Jake Knauss who had a 4-for-4 day against the Saxons driving in three…

 

Fremd junior LHP Sean Stutzman (5-2) struck out 13 and fired a four-hit shutout, leading the Vikings to an 8-0 whitewashing of Wheeling.

 

In the Jackie Robinson South: Simeon (19-6; 11-2) took over the top spot in the JR-South with an 11-10 win over Kenwood. Sophomore Shane Brown had three hits and drove in four for the Wolverines…Morgan Park stunned Whitney Young 17-6 to drop the Dolphins out of a first-place tie with Simeon. Whitney Young falls to 14-11 and 10-3 in the Jackie Robinson South.

 

Note: In a recent roundup it was reported that Simeon and Whitney Young had a share of the Jackie Robinson South championship. That information was incorrect. Each squad has one game remaining in their JR-South schedule.

 

In the Jackie Robinson North, Von Steuben (15-9; 12-2) clinched the title with a 14-8 win over Mather on Wednesday.

 

In the Upstate 8: No.18 St. Charles North (20-4; 12-3) blasted St. Charles East 13-7 on Wednesday. The North Stars hammered out 15 hits in evening up their big three-game set with East (16-8; 10-5). North Star Central Michigan-bound catcher Matt Stevens homered and drove in three runs for North. Senior 3B Kevin Borst and Chase Williams plated a pair for North. Senior LHP Ryan Hudspeth picked up the win and improved to 5-0.

 

On Thursday night at 6, the rubber match of this crucial series will be played at Elfstrom Stadium in Geneva. St. Charles East will send their sensational junior lefty Wes Benjamin (7-0) to the mound. The North Stars will counter with hard-throwing RHP Jared Shurtleff (6-0) in the PBR Game of the Day. The PBR’s Drake Skleba will be on hand for the Battle of St. Charles.

 

In other Upstate 8 action: Lake Park (16-7; 10-5) defeated South Elgin (15-6; 10-5) for the second consecutive day, slipping past the Storm 6-4. Lancer senior Artie Monaco had a pair of hits and an RBI to lead  Lake Park. Monaco had a huge theft of home plate in the Lancer seventh. With the win, the Lancers pulled into a three-way tie for third in the U8C with  St. Charles East and South Elgin. Waubonsie Valley is alone in second place at (17-7; 11-4, one game back of St. Charles North.