Bartlett comes back to dump Hoffman Estates

Bartlett relief pitcher Mark Morse helped get his team out of a trouble and into the win column in a 4-2 victory over visiting Hoffman Estates Tuesday.

After Hoffman Estates (0-2) tied the game at 2 in the top of the sixth inning on a run-scoring single from senior Colin Conway, Morse was summoned to the mound in relief of Bartlett starting pitcher Alex Raver (52/3 IP, 4 hits, 7 Ks).

Morse promptly walked No. 7 hitter Mark Roberts to load the bases, but he recovered by inducing a flyball to left field to keep the visiting Hawks from taking the lead.

"The thing I do is just get rid of everything on the outside and just focus on that pitch to help my team get the win," Morse said. "Focusing is really the big thing for me. After not pitching a lot last year in my first varsity season, it felt good to get out there."

Bartlett (2-0) capitalized on the momentum from Morse's escape by plating 2 runs in its half of the sixth inning to retake the lead. Senior Mike Tomsovic beat out an infield single to start the rally, and senior Mike Mancuso followed by lacing a 1-hopper to the outfield. The ball took a bad hop, skipped past the center fielder and went all the way to the wall for a triple, which allowed Tomsovic to score the go-ahead run.

"It was a 3-1 count and I was looking for something that I could drive," Mancuso said. "I got a high fastball. It definitely felt good."

Senior Phil Leonard made it 4-2 with a sacrifice fly to right field that scored Mancuso.

Senior Lance Vesper (6-foot-7) took the loss in relief of Hoffman starter Erik Smoy, who pitched well in his first outing. The senior left-hander held Bartlett to 2 unearned runs on 5 hits 5 innings.

"I was very happy with Erik Smoy," Hoffman coach Todd Meador said. "He had very good command of his fastball and usually is an off-speed pitcher, so that was nice to see. I think we kind of gave them a couple of runs early with some mistakes, but it was a 2-2 game and they came up with the clutch hit late in the game when we didn't. You have to give them a tip of the hat."

Hoffman Estates leadoff hitters reached base in the third and fifth innings only to be picked off first base via quick moves by Raver, a right-hander.

Bartlett took a 1-0 lead in the first inning after Tomsovic (2-for-3, 2 runs) reached on a bloop single and scored all the way from first base on an errant pickoff attempt by Smoy coupled with another wild throw toward third base.

Hoffman Estates tied the game 1-1 in the third when Smoy singled, advanced to third on a pair of pitches in the dirt and scored on Trent Rehusch's groundout.

Bartlett took a 2-1 lead in the fifth. Junior Brett Barger singled and moved to second on an errant pickoff throw by the catcher. Junior Joey Miceli (2-for-3, double) singled Barger to third base, and Barger scored when the Hoffman right fielder dropped a line drive off the bat of senior Brett Kielbasa.