By Drake Skleba

OAK LAWN – Bremen (12-7; 4-1 Blue) came into Thursday’s South Suburban Conference crossover matchup with Oak Lawn with a robust .404 team batting average. Four of the first nine Braves who faced Oak Lawn’s Mike Yacko singled off the hard-throwing right-handed pitcher.

That’s when Yacko said enough.

Yacko picked off Bremen’s junior second baseman Miguel Inequez, who had singled to lead off the third. The pickoff ignited five no-hit innings for Yacko, as Oak Lawn won a thrilling 1-0 victory. Yacko, who’s one of the top unsigned arms in Illinois, finished with a four-hit shutout with 10 strikeouts - nine coming in the last four innings.

“I really struggled early to find my rhythm,” said Yacko. “Once I found it in the third inning I really threw well. My fastball was really moving tonight. We’re off to a really good start and I think we can go far this season.”

In the bottom of the second, Spartan junior second baseman Chris Rafacz would provide Yacko with the only run he would need. Bremen senior lefty Vince Janotta (2-2) hit Spartan junior 1B Bob Kametas (1-for-2, HBP, R). Janotta retired the next two Spartan hitters and appeared to be closing out the Spartan inning. But the 5-foot-6 Rafacz then ripped a rocket to right center, scoring Kametas, as he pulled into third with a triple.

“Great win. Some games we score 10 runs and today we just got one,” said Rafacz. “Mike Yacko pitched an excellent game for us today. Anyway I can help the team win, whether with a bunt or a triple. Whatever get’s the job done. I was looking away on the triple and really hit the ball hard.”

Both pitchers proceeded to put goose eggs on the scoreboard in this 90-minute special.

In the bottom of the sixth, Oak Lawn looked like they were going to blow the game open. Leadoff man Cody Marek singled and senior SS Alec Barnhart walked, ending the day for Janotta. Bremen head coach Mike Cline went to senior Dan Stephens from the pen. Stephens proceeded to walk Yacko to load the bases.

Stephens struck out Kametas and then induced a 6-4-3 twin-killing to keep the game 1-0.

Yacko picked up strikeouts No. 9 and 10 to end the game.

“Mike showed why he is a D-1 recruit,” said Oak Lawn associate head coach Brian Brandt. “It was good to see Mike throw so well today. Up until today he had been struggling a little with his command. It was great to see Chris Rafacz get the game-winning triple. Chris has struggled at the plate recently. Hopefully the big hit will get him hitting the ball as he did at the start of the season.”

The win was the fifth straight for the surging Spartans, who trail Richards by a half game in the South Suburban Red. Bremen still sits atop the SSC-Blue.

“I tip my hat to Yacko,” said Cline. “We got four hits off of him in the first two innings and then like all good pitchers do, he settled in and shut us down.

“Vince (Janotta) and Dan (Stephens) pitched great for us today. We have to come back and win our next game. I’m proud of the guts we showed out there today and we still are in first-place in the Blue.”