PBR DAILY ROUNDUP

March 30, 2012

By Drake Skleba

Nazareth Academy (7-0) traveled down to Pleasant Plains (3-1) and upended the Cardinals and ace Kyle Weller 7-1 for the Roadrunners’ first signature win of 2012. The Roadrunners finished fourth in Class 3A in 2011 for head coach Lee Milano. A rebuilding year for the Roadrunners appeared to be in the works.

Senior Ryan Marske led the assault on Plains with a 3-for-4 day with a double, homer and drove home five ‘Runner runs. 6-foot-4 sophomore RHP Jake Bartels (2-0) fired a six-hitter at the Cardinal with 11 big strikeouts. Sophomore Tom DalPorto chipped in with three hits as the Roadrunners scorched Sangamon County on Friday.

No. 2 St. Laurence (8-0) stunned Benet Academy with a three-run outburst in the top of the seventh to rally past the Redwings 4-3 in Lisle on Friday. Viking senior SS John Rotkvich tripled to the centerfield wall to drive home a run and bring the Vikes within 3-2. Senior 1B Brandon Mallder singled home Rotkvich and we were even at 3-3. The Chicago Catholic Blue power took the lead on a Redwing miscue. Viking junior RHP Kevin Smith (2-0) mowed down the Redwings in the home half of the seventh to finish up his five-hitter with four strikeouts.

Naperville North (3-4) scored nine times in the first inning and went on to crush No. 16 Downers Grove South 10-0 in five innings. Huskie junior RHP Colton Ash fired a five-inning no-no at DGS. Huskie Nick Solak led the offensive assault with a perfect 3-for-3 day with two triples and two RBI. Ash helped himself with an RBI single in the big nine-run North first.

No. 3 Normal West (8-1) blasted East Peoria 10-2 behind junior Alex Jefferson (2-0). Jefferson nailed down the win on the mound with six quality innings, allowing only one run. The junior had two hits and two RBI to help himself at the plate. The Wildcats exploded for six runs in the third to wrap up the nonconference affair.

No. 7 Marian Catholic (7-0) rallied past Homewood-Flossmoor 6-5 in Flossmoor on Friday night. Spartan sophomore 1B Pat Schmidt drove home the game-winner on a groundout and had three hits with two RBI. Spartan junior SS Eric Callaghan scored the game-winner and had two hits and an RBI.

Richards (3-4) stunned No. 8 Simeon 13-3 behind Bulldog senior LHP Jim Augle. Augle fired five quality innings at the hard-hitting Wolverines, allowing just two runs and striking out six. Augle helped himself out with three hits and four RBI for the Bulldogs. Simeon falls to 7-2.

No. 10 Oak Forest (3-1) slipped past Romeoville 1-0 on Bengal sophomore 1B Brian Richards’ game-winning RBI single. Romeoville falls to 3-4.

Surging Crystal Lake South (5-4) stunned No.12 Machesney Park Harlem (6-1) and Huskie ace Drake Robison 3-1 on Friday. Gator senior Jordan Van Dyck (3-0) outdueled the Iowa Western-bound Robison (3-1). Van Dyck fired a two-hitter at the Huskies, striking out 11. The Huskie run was unearned for Van Dyck. Gator junior Jake Bigos, junior 1B Max Meitzler and junior SS Tommy Gaede all had two hits for CLS. CLS Indian State University-bound Nick Martin chipped in with a triple.

Andrew (6-1) defeated District 230 rival Sandburg 3-2 on Friday. T-Bolt junior 3B Dan Durkin sent the large contingent in Tinley Park home happy when he singled home the game-winner in the bottom of the seventh. Sandburg falls to 2-1-1.

Benton (9-1) spotted Pinckneyville a 7-0 lead and then buried the Panthers with an eight-run fourth inning explosion and went on to win 8-7 on Friday. 

Ranger senior Mason Childers had a single and a double and drove in a pair to lead Benton. Ranger senior Scott Johnson doubled home a couple in the eight-run fourth. Bradley-bound Ty Leffller fired three shutout innings in relief to earn the save for senior Jared Johnson (1-0). 

Herscher (7-3) hammered Cissna Park 11-0 in five innings on Friday. Tiger Dalton Sproul led the Tiger attack with two hits and two RBI.

Bloomington (7-2) knocked of the previously unbeaten Bullets of Williamsville

7-4 on the opening day of the Chatham Glenwod Tournament. Purple Raider Roman Visintine (2-0) fired an eight-hitter at Williamsville with six strikeouts.

Raider C Kyle Johnson plated three for the Raiders and juniors Jayden Thompson and Brandon Edwards chipped in with two hits apiece. Williamsville falls to 6-1.

Mount Vernon (10-2) tied the game with a run in the top of the seventh and then won it with a tally in the eighth, as the Rams stunned DuQuoin 8-7 in eight innings on Friday. Ram senior C Grant Garrett led the offensive onslaught of MV with a 2-for-4 game with a homer and three RBI. Ram starting pitcher Zane Xanders chipped in with a pair of hits and an RBI. Ram senior Zack Jones (1-0) fired 5 1/3 innings of relief with six strikeouts to pick up the win.

I finally got a result on two-time defending Class 2A Champs Teutopolis (1-0). The Wooden Shoes blew a 3-0 lead in the top of the seventh against. St. Joseph-Ogden (6-2) on Friday and then won it in the bottom of the seventh 4-3.

If anyone could please send me results on the Wooden Shoes baseball team it would be greatly appreciated. The Shoes are the least covered two-time state champion I have ever seen. Help!

No. 17 Plainfield North (5-0) slipped past Glenbard East 2-1 as Tiger sophomore Kendall Interial provided the game-winner.

Galesburg (8-2) rocked North Boone 14-1 in the opener of the Streaks Invite at Jim Sundburg Stadium on Friday. Streak senior Austin Gernant (2-1) fired a five-inning complete game gem for Galesburg.

Illinois State-bound Streak C Chad Johnson continued his assault on the baseball with three RBI. Junior Drake Sykes, senior Tim Rossell and junior Drew Diaz all contributed to the victory with two RBI.

Normal U-High (4-4) shutout Quincy 11-0 and will face Galesburg in a semifinal at noon today. At 9:30 Rock Island Alleman (4-2) and East Moline meet in the first semifinal and the semifinal winners will meet for the championship tonight at 5.

Niles West (8-1) defeated Rolling Meadows 7-6 behind the Wolves scorching-hot University of Michigan-bound SS Kevin Ross. With the Wolves down 6-5, Ross stepped to the plate with a Wolf teammate on base. Ross crushed a ball that left the ballpark, his second bomb of the day, and left Niles West with a 7-6 win. Ross had three hits and four big RBI to lead the Wolves to victory again.

Vernon Hills (4-3) defeated Rantoul 6-1 behind Cougar Sophomore LHP Pat Crowley. Crowley fired a seven-hitter at the previously undefeated Eagles. Crowley struck out four in his complete-game gem on Friday.

Shepard (2-5) defeated Bloom 10-0 in five innings behind a no-hitter from junior RHP Nick Medicott (1-1), Mendicott’s freshman battery-mate C Mark Albrecht, doubled with the bases loaded to help out Mendicott.