By Sean Duncan

LAKE VILLA - Let’s play a little game, it’s called identify the winning coach from their postgame comments.

First up, Mundelein coach Todd Parola: “We should wear ski masks walking to the bus. There’s not enough adjectives to describe that game. After what I watched, I’m speechless.”

Now, Lakes coach Bill Rosencrans: “I’m speechless. It’s embarrassing, just very disappointing. I know they’re not trying to make mistakes. It’s the mental mistakes that drive us crazy.”

The answer is, drum roll please … If you picked Mundelein coach Todd Parola as the victorious coach, you win! However, as you may have determined from both coaches’ comments, Friday’s game between two of the better programs in Lake County didn’t leave any warm and fuzzy feelings from either side.

Despite committing five errors and walking five batters in the first two innings, Mundelein managed to escape with a 6-3 nonconference victory over Lakes (6-3).

“We took advantage of some gifts they gave us,” said Parola, whose teams are always well-disciplined and fundamentally sound. “It’s Christmas at Lakes High School.”

If indeed it was Christmas, Santa was stuffing spectators’ stockings with lumps of coal. Nevertheless, Mundelein (6-2) took advantage of some sloppy Lakes defense in the first inning to mount a quick 3-0 lead it would never relinquish. Senior catcher Matt Risdon (2-for-4) ripped a run-scoring double in the first, and senior shortstop Mike O’Donoghue and senior third baseman Colin Franklin each had RBI singles in the inning.

 

Mundelein extended the lead to 4-0 in the second before the Mustangs’ defense took a nosedive. Mundelein committed five of its six errors in the bottom of the second, on top of two bases on balls, which led to three Lakes runs without the benefit of a hit.

 

Senior right-hander Blair Metzger and right-hander Ben Mahar proceeded to shut out Lakes the rest of the way. Mahar was a definite bright spot in the Mustangs’ victory. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound junior right-hander was dominant in his 3 1/3 innings. Mahar struck out five, including the side in the fifth, and yielded three singles. His fastball routinely sat between 85-88 mph.

 

“I just felt good today,” said Mahar. “I thought I was pitching tomorrow, but I said I could pitch today if he needed me. … I felt like I was in the zone.”

 

Mundelein leadoff man Charlie Gandolfi went 2-for-2 with two runs and an RBI, and O’Donoghue added two hits, including a double in the third. Franklin, playing in his first game as a position player since having knee surgery, finished 2-for-3 with two RBI, including a run-scoring double in the third.

 

“If we can win when we play that sloppy, I don’t know if it’s a good thing or a bad thing, but I’ll take it,” said Franklin.

 

Sophomore second baseman Nick Traska went 1-for-1 with three walks to pace Lakes’ offense, which stranded 12 base runners, and came up scoreless on two bases-loaded opportunities. Junior right-hander Paul Kukulka was strong in relief for the Eagles, throwing 3 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit. Lakes’ pitching staff also features two top 10-ranked prospects in their respective classes, senior left-hander D.J. Snelton (Minnesota) and junior right-hander Nick Hibbing (Iowa). Neither Snelton nor Hibbing pitched Friday.