Sycamore denies Kaneland share of WSC lead

Kaneland wanted nothing more to see Sycamore could play the spoiler role in the Western Sun race - the Knights just hoped that would start next week against Geneva and not Saturday.

One win away from pulling into a tie for the WSC lead, Kaneland dropped a 6-4 game to the Spartans Saturday in the second game of a doubleheader.

It was a disappointing loss for the Knights, who have come on strong this spring to continually climb up the conference standings... but come up short in a chance to get to the top.

"Textbook definition of not getting the job done," Kaneland coach Brian Aversa said. "Guys were in position but we couldn't bring them in. It's on us."

The Knights scored 3 runs in the first inning before their bats went cold against Sycamore left-hander Tommy Nice, who won for the first time this season.

"We didn't give them enough credit," Kaneland cleanup hitter Bobby Thorson said. "Their record doesn't show what a good team they actually are. We came out a little flat like expecting to win. And they gave it to us."

Now Kaneland (20-11, 12-6) needs a little help from this same Sycamore (10-21, 5-13) team. The Spartans play Western Sun co-leader Geneva (20-9, 13-5) three times next week while Kaneland gets its chance against the other co-leader, DeKalb (18-7, 13-5).

"We have a chance, stranger things have happened," Aversa said. "We don't control our own destiny, we need help now."

The day started promising. Kaneland won the opener, breaking a sixth-inning tie in an 8-7 victory.

The Knights used three pitchers, starting with Steve Colombe. Sycamore tied the game 7-7 in the top of the sixth on a two-out, two-run double by shortstop Eric Ray.

Kaneland pushed across the winning run in its half of the sixth. Colombe drew a leadoff walk and took second on a passed ball.

Kyle Davidson bunted Colombe to third. Jake Fiedler fouled off three pitches before finding one he could loft into right field, just far enough to score Colombe from third base.

"Jake is doing a great job at the plate," Aversa said. "He knows what his job is. We needed a deep fly ball and thankfully it was deep enough to get Steven in."

After winning pitcher Jake Tickle walked the leadoff batter in the seventh, Thorson nailed down his first save this season with a pair of strikeouts and a comebacker.

Fiedler (2 hits, 3 RBI), Thorson (2 hits, 2 runs), Tickle (2 RBI), Colombe (2 runs) and Davidson (2-for-2, 2 runs) led the Knights.

"We know what is what our role is now," Sycamore coach Jason Cavanaugh said. "We played a decent game. We just beat ourselves on little things. It has killed us all year, it's no surprise it happened today."

Sycamore played that role to perfection in the second game. Nice scattered 9 hits and 4 walks in his complete game win, keeping the Knights off balance.

"He's still developing as a pitcher," Cavanaugh said. "The thing we have been working on him is slow it down. The first inning all the pitches were the same speed. After that he would throw a slower fastball he'd get guys out on their front foot."

Joe Camiliere drove in the first run with a line single to center. Dave Dudzinski stole second base and scored with a spinning move to avoid the tag at the plate on Thorson's RBI single. Tyler Callaghan capped the scoring with an RBI single.

That was about it for Kaneland's offense. The Spartans took the lead 4-3 on a two-out, 3-run home run by Trevor Mathey in the third, his eighth of the year, one shy of a school record.

"You can't walk guys in front of that kid," Aversa said.

The Knights tied the game in the third on Callaghan's RBI triple, but they left two runners in scoring position. They stranded 7 runners in scoring position in the first five innings.

Sycamore grabbed a 6-4 lead in the fifth. About the only thing Kaneland did wrong defensively came at the worst time possible, a dropped throw on a potential double play grounder. That scored one run, and a second came in on Mathey's RBI single before Dave Dudzinski came on in relief to strike out a pair of hitters and leave the bases loaded.

Dudzinski worked 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief, striking out three without allowing a hit. Starter Sam Komel took the loss despite his 7 strikeouts.

Kaneland mounted one last rally in the seventh, putting the tying runs on base on a single by Thorson - his third hit of the game and fifth of the day - and Sycamore's first error. The Spartans ended the game with a 4-6-3 double play.

"A couple things went our way and that's what I think it takes sometimes to win a high school baseball game," Cavanaugh said.