Libertyville, Townsend pick a win

Any team that can capitalize on its opponent's mistakes will usually win.

It helps, too, when your pitcher picks off two runners in the first inning.

Libertyville's baseball team took advantage of 4 errors in the first inning against Evanston and received a strong outing from sophomore Dar Townsend, as the Wildcats won 10-0 in five innings Saturday.

Libertyville improved to 9-4, while Evanston dropped to 9-4.

"This was a huge win for us," Libertyville coach Jim Schurr said. "Evanston is a good ballclub."

Tyler Schweigert (2-for-3, double 2 RBI), A.J. Schurr (1-for-3, 2 RBI), Dar Townsend (2-for-3, RBI) and Nathan Clark (3-for-3, 2 doubles, RBI, 2 runs) led the way offensively for the Wildcats.

"Our kids are getting some key hits," Jim Schurr said. "We're also getting good pitching and good defense. "

Townsend (3-1) allowed only 3 hits in 4 innings. The sophomore struck out three, walked one and hit a batter. Nick Carlson tossed the fifth for the Wildcats.

Townsend also helped himself on defense by picking two runners off first base in the first inning.

"The game was awesome," Townsend said. "I wanted to lead my team out here and I got a lot of help from the players behind me."

Shortstop Schweigert and second baseman Schurr turned a double play in the third.

Evanston coach Frank Consigio tipped his cap to Townsend.

"He's a good off-speed pitcher," Consigio said. "He's able to throw two pitches for strikes and uses his curveball on any count. When you can do that on the high school level, you've got success."

Evanston's Josh Channin pitched 4 innings, giving up 9 runs (5 unearned) and only 4 hits.

He was sabotoged by his defense, which made 4 errors in the first inning and one in the second.

In the bottom of the first inning, Libertyville staged a two-out rally by sending 9 batters to the plate and scoring 4 runs on 2 hits.

Clark and Brandon Fowkes each knocked in runs in the inning.

Libertyville scored another unearned run in the second. The Wildcats blew the game open in the third by scoring 4 runs on 5 hits.

"We're not the type of team that kicks the ball around," Consigio said. "We have to able to field the baseball and have to be able to make plays. That's a completely different baseball game in the first inning if we get the third out on a groundball that was hit. It would have been 1-2-3."