Skinner, Palatine put it all together against Fremd

Palatine didn't want any part of hosting a cross-town celebration Wednesday.

So the Pirates went out and executed every part of the game as Byron Skinner threw a 4-hitter in a 6-0 victory that kept Fremd from clinching a second straight Mid-Suburban West baseball title.

Skinner (6-4) walked two of the first three hitters but settled down and issued only one more walk. He had 7 strikeouts and threw 63 of his 106 pitches for strikes as Palatine (15-12, 8-5) moved within two games of first with three to play by completing a season sweep of Fremd (15-11, 10-3).

"I had a little bit of nerves but it's my senior year, against Fremd, and I really wanted it," said Skinner, who left runners at third in the first three innings. "We all wanted it as a team. It was the most complete team game we've played so far this year."

Palatine scored its last 5 runs with two outs and scored 2 runs in the third without a hit as Fremd committed 4 of its 5 errors. Clint Terry (6-4) allowed only 5 hits and 1 earned run in 5 innings but left with a 4-0 deficit.

"The difference in the game was their ability to get two-out hits and take advantage of our errors and our inability to do the same," said Fremd coach Chris Piggott, whose team will try to clinch at least a share of the division title Friday at Schaumburg. "If we score a couple of runs early I think it's a different ballgame and we put a little pressure on them. But Byron did a nice job with runners on."

Terry singled to start the second and went to third on a steal and throwing error. But Skinner got 2 strikeouts and sophomore third baseman Kurt Becker made a nice play on lefty-hitting Vince Addison's bid for a bunt single.

"Coach (Paul) Belo had a feeling they were going to bunt and he told me to be ready and move up a little bit," said Becker, who went 3-for-3 with a double and a 2-run single in the sixth. "I charged and Jim (first baseman Smearman) made a great stretch."

Palatine got the only run Skinner needed in the bottom half when Dan Haze singled and came around on a steal, passed ball and Kevin Klein's groundout.

Skinner also pitched around two errors in the third and left runners and consecutive one-out singles by Kevin Ciardiello (2-for-3) and Evan Wright in the fourth. He used the cold wind blowing in around 15 mph to his advantage with 11 outs in the air.

"Even if someone made a mistake they bounced right back and players said they wanted the ball hit to them," Skinner said. "It's good to hear an infielder want to keep competing for you."

Trey Cannon and Joe Campe went 2-for-3 at the bottom of the Palatine order and combined to score the last 3 runs. Cannon also made a spectacular diving grab on a liner to left in the seventh and Haze grabbed Addison's liner to strand two runners in the sixth.

"Pitching in these conditions today, it's good to be a power pitcher," Belo said. "Our kids played outstanding defense for us in the outfield."

Hersey 6, Meadows 2: Steve Danielak (7-3) got his first 11 outs on strikeouts and finished with 14 in a 6-hitter that kept Hersey (21-8, 9-4) tied for first in the MSL East.

Danielak had 13 strikeouts in 5 innings and also went 2-for-2. Alex Lee, Chris Polinski and Sean Thompson also had 2 of Hersey's 13 hits and Alex Gelabert doubled and had 2 RBI.

Eric Lowe went 2-for-4 for Meadows (8-19, 6-7).

Barrington 4, Hoffman 1: Jackson Lundmark earned a much-deserved first win as he scattered 4 hits and had 9 strikeouts for Barrington (16-13, 7-6) in the MSL West win over Hoffman Estates (13-16, 6-7).

Chris Rogers got a bases-loaded strikeout for his third save and Derek Foderaro (3-for-3, RBI) and Jim Cook (3-for-4) led a 10-hit attack.

Maine W. 10, Maine E. 0 (5 inn.): Josh Wright threw a 1-hitter and Mike Farias homered for Maine West (17-7, 10-2) in the Central Suburban North win.

Leyden 4, Hinsdale South 0: Jeremy Stawychny threw a 2-hitter with 9 strikeouts and went 3-for-3 with an RBI and Dan Savas hit a 2-run homer for Leyden (17-12, 9-9) in the West Suburban Gold win.

Marist 10, St. Viator 0 (6 inn.): Jack Czeszewski's double was one of only 4 hits for Viator (15-12, 7-7) in the East Suburban Catholic Conference loss at Marist (14-16, 6-8).

MSL postponements: Elk Grove at Wheeling and Conant at Schaumburg were rescheduled to today.