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Big MSL East victory for Hersey

There is still a long way to go in the Mid-Suburban League baseball race.

But Hersey hopes it went a long way toward an East title Wednesday as left-hander Ryan Busse went the distance and was backed by clutch hitting in an 8-4 victory at preseason favorite Prospect.

"Most of us thought this was our biggest game this year," said center fielder Joe Perricone, whose 3-run double in the fourth put Hersey up 7-1.

"It's a big matchup and it's always good to come out and play Prospect," Busse said. "To get a win at their place is really good and puts us in even better position."

Busse (3-2) was also better with some changes in his delivery after two losses. He allowed only 1 earned run and 6 hits and had 7 strikeouts and 1 walk as he threw 72 of his 109 pitches for strikes to keep Hersey (11-3, 3-1) tied atop the East with Rolling Meadows.

"We looked at some video and to his credit he wants to work and wants to get better," said Hersey coach Bob Huber.

"I worked on my motion a lot more with Huber," Busse said. "He told me to stay relaxed out there and be fluid and keep it nice and easy."

Prospect (9-5, 2-2) got a homer in the second from sophomore Jack Landwehr and hit into some hard early outs. Then Busse settled in and stifled the high-powered offense until a misplayed flyball scored 3 runs in the sixth.

Two errors helped Hersey break it open in the fourth. After a booted two-out, bases-loaded grounder, Perricone cleared them with a shot to deep center.

"I started off the season not doing too hot," Perricone said. "I've been going more up the middle and more to the right side and I knew anything going to left field would stay up in the air a long time."

Paying for defensive lapses was nothing new for Prospect.

"It's frustrating because it's cost us a couple of games in conference now," Prospect coach Ross Giusti. "Give them credit because they attacked the ball aggressively. For whatever reason, when we make an error it's catastrophic."

The first of two doubles by Erik Stoltzner drove in 2 runs in a 3-run second where Jake Knauss had an RBI single.

"No lead is safe against these guys," Huber said of Prospect.

Busse made sure it was this time.