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Ash pitches Grayslake Central past North

If he wasn’t ashen, Mark Ash, suffice it to say, had at least lost color.

Mono will take that kind of toll, and then some, on the human body.

“I couldn’t do anything,” Ash said. “Doctor wouldn’t let me.”

Grayslake Central’s weakened junior pitcher couldn’t even do gym.

“I’m still getting stronger,” Ash said. “I lost like 10 pounds when I had mono.”

The Ram looked as strong as a ram Saturday, tossing his first complete game of the season, as Grayslake Central defeated visiting Grayslake North 5-2 in a Fox Valley Conference makeup.

Ash missed about a month of baseball. In his first start two Saturdays ago, he pitched 5 innings and got the win against Prairie Ridge in Game 2 of a doubleheader.

“We had him projected as a front-line guy for us,” coach Troy Whalen, whose Rams improved to 8-4 and 4-2 in the FVC, said of Ash, who blanked Mundelein in his varsity debut last year.

“Mark Ash threw a great game,” Grayslake North coach Andy Strahan said. “He threw three pitches for strikes. Kept us off-balance. We had an approach that we were going to swing early and swing often because he’s right around the zone. We just couldn’t square up the baseball often enough.”

Ash (2-0) no-hit Grayslake North (4-10, 3-5) through three innings using a fastball, curve and changeup.

“Curveball definitely broke a lot,” Ash said.

A day after Earth Day, an Ash faced a Fern.

Brandon Fern got the first hit off Ash with one out in the fourth and did it in style. Fern pulled a fastball on the inner half, got the ball high in the air and landed it over the right-field fence for a solo shot that cut Grayslake North’s deficit to 2-1.

“He got a good swing on it,” Strahan said. “The ball was carrying just a bit to right field, but he got all of it and put a charge into it.”

It was the first home run of the season for the 5-foot-9 Fern after the senior outfielder hit, by his count, three or four last year.

“He just left it up,” said Fern, who made Good Friday a good day by signing with the College of Lake County.

“I knew not to throw it inside to him, but it just slipped and he got hold of that one,” Ash said. “That was a good hit. He’s known to hit that inside fastball.”

Ash didn’t allow another hit until the sixth, when Kevin Staszczak’s two-out single advanced Tom Elias (walk) to third. CJ Bailey’s double scored Elias, but Ash got a flyball to center fielder Nick Hosford to prevent further damage.

“I got into a nice groove in the middle (innings),” Ash said. “I felt if I kept the ball low and outside that they would (hit) grounders. I felt like I had to pitch to contact.”

Ash finished with a 3-hitter, striking out seven and walking only one.

“He’s got really good stuff,” Fern said.

“The thing about Mark is,” Whalen said, “he’s going to pound the zone, he’s got good composure out there, and he’s able to keep teams off-balance. He’s a fun guy to play defense behind because generally he’ll get it and throw it.”

A 2-run double by Grayslake Central leadoff hitter Jon Gurchak opened the scoring in the third. The Rams got a sacrifice fly from Cam Neely and an RBI single from Kristian Meehan in the fourth to make it 4-1.

Austin Miller’s two-out base hit in the fifth scored Ryan Hamrick for the home team’s final run.

Meehan and Austin Leggett (double, run scored) each had 2 hits for the Rams.

After the win, Grayslake Central beat Fenton 9-4 to hike its record to 9-4.

“I feel pretty good because we’ve had to (win), really, with a lot of bits and pieces and throwing in a lot of kitchen sink here and there,” Whalen said. “The kids have done a good job.”

Grayslake Central visits Grayslake North on Friday.

“It was a tough game for our boys, but we’ll be all right,” Fern said. “We play them next Friday and we’ll be ready to play.”

  Grayslake Central’s Jon Gurchak is tagged out by Grayslake North’s Colin Laughlin at Grayslake Central on Saturday. George LeClaire/gleclaire@dailyherald.com
  Grayslake Central’s Kristian Meehan slides safely into second base as Grayslake North Carl Russell tries for the tag at Grayslake Central on Saturday. George LeClaire/gleclaire@dailyherald.com
  Grayslake Central’s Kristian Meehan dives back to first base against Grayslake North at Grayslake Central on Saturday. George LeClaire/gleclaire@dailyherald.com
  Grayslake Central’s Nick Hosford pulls in this hit by Grayslake North while being backed up by teammate Austin Leggett at Grayslake Central on Saturday. George LeClaire/gleclaire@dailyherald.com
  Grayslake Central’s Mark Ash pitches against Grayslake North on Saturday. George LeClaire/gleclaire@dailyherald.com
  Grayslake Central’s Mark Ash pitches against Grayslake North at Grayslake Central on Saturday. George LeClaire/gleclaire@dailyherald.com
  Grayslake North’s Kyle Fosco pitches at Grayslake Central on Saturday. George LeClaire/gleclaire@dailyherald.com