Plainfield South updends No. 8 St. Charles North

April 19, 2015

By Sean Duncan
Executive Director

LISLE, IL – Plainfield South upended No. 8 St. Charles North 8-6 on Saturday at Benedictine University. The matchup, which was part of the Upstate State 8-Suburban Prairie Challenge, was loaded with some of Illinois’ brightest 2017 prospects.

Plainfield South improved to 9-5 thanks to play of several sophomores in the lineup. SS Nick Mayerhofer went 2-for-4 with a walk, three runs scored and two RBI. His two-run single to left field was the big hit in the Cougars’ three-run fifth that helped them pull away from St. Charles North (11-3). Sophomore RF Marco Escobar, the team’s No. 3 hitter, finished 3-for-5 with a double and two RBI. Escobar barreled the ball in all five plate appearances, and also made two diving catches in right field. His double to right center capped Plainfield South’s three-run fourth inning.

The Cougars also received a solid pitching effort from sophomore RHP Austin Marozas. The 6-foot-5, 190-pound Marozas, who’s currently ranked No. 12 in Illinois’ 2017 class, pitched five innings, allowing six hits and six runs. He struck out three and walked three behind an 80-83 mph fastball and 69-71 mph slurve.

Iowa-bound RHP Shane Ritter nailed down the victory by throwing two scoreless innings of relief. Ritter allowed three hits, struck out three and walked one. Ritter leaned heavily on his 74-76 mph slider, while mixing in 86-88 mph fastballs that topped at 89.

Plainfield South also got a strong contribution from senior 3B Marco Melgoza, whose solo homer to right field gave the Cougars a two-run cushion in the seventh inning. Melgoza finished 2-for-5 with two RBI. Austin Male and Marcus Stewart also had a pair of hits for Plainfield South.

St. Charles North was also paced by a pair of sophomores. The Mettetal twins, Tyler and Zach, who are both highly ranked 2017 prospects, each showed well. Tyler, a physical 6-foot OF/LHP, went 3-for-4 with two runs scored. He had an especially impressive at-bat against Ritter, fouling several pitches off before lacing a double to right field on an 88-mph fastball. Zach Mettetal, the team’s starting SS, went 2-for-2 with a walk and two RBI. His two-run single to left field staked the North Stars to an early 2-0 advantage in the second inning.

Junior John LeGare added a run-scoring triple and scored a run in the North Stars’ two-run fifth inning.

More in-depth scouting notes will be added to the Illinois Scout Blog later.

Plainfield South updends No. 8 St. Charles North

Related Content