Mount Prospect likes progress

The record at this point is the same as last year for the Mount Prospect American Legion baseball team.

The feeling this year for Prospect coach Tom Krumsee, however, is much different at 9-15-1 going into Thursday night’s matchup with Elk Grove.

“Except for the first week we’ve been in every game and we haven’t been embarrassed like last year,” Krumsee said. “That’s probably the most positive thing.

“Our pitching for the most part has really been good. We haven’t hit as well as I thought we might, but we’re playing good defense and getting decent pitching.”

The pitching led by Trevor Haas and Brad Moore had 3 shutouts in a six-game stretch that included making the semifinals of the Fort Wayne (Ind.) tournament. Moore had a stretch where he allowed only 2 runs in 25 innings.

But Prospect has also received some surprising help on the mound from Mike Withey, who came over on a waiver from Palatine, and Hersey graduates Dalton Farel and Steve Sgrignoli. In a 9-3 loss to Arlington, Sgrignoli came in and allowed only 1 run in the final 5 innings.

“For a new pitcher to shut down Arlington for five innings makes me proud,” Krumsee said. “They’ve gone above and beyond what they ever did before.

“Various guys have stepped up all along and even the guys who aren’t really pitchers have done extremely well for us. That’s the most encouraging thing.”

Krumsee said Farel has come along at the plate after a slow start and Withey has also hit well. John Zupko has been a consistent contributor in the No. 3 spot in the order and Sean Reszotko, who didn’t play this spring at Hersey, is leading the team in RBI.

“He’s really come on strong and he’s very versatile,” Krumsee said of Reszotko, who has played first base, third base and the outfield and plans to play at Hersey as a senior. “He’s been a pleasant surprise.”

Thirteen of Prospect’s 15 players are underclassmen and Krumsee said other players who weren’t out this year told him they want to play next year.

“I’m really encouraged for the future,” Krumsee said. “There are a lot of positives I’m seeing.”

Prospect finishes regular-season play with Portage Park today as it looks to nail down the No. 5 seed for next week’s Cook County tournament. The sixth and seventh seeds meet in a play-in game this weekend.

Cooking up a perfect record: Elk Grove was short-handed on the mound and came up short in its first three games in the Northbrook tourney before forfeiting its finale to Prospect.

But the return of Paul Warble from an injury and Ryan Hayes provided the Red Sox with a big boost as they wrapped up the top seed in next week’s Cook County tourney.

Elk Grove improved to 17-12 overall and 10-0 in Cook County going into Thursday night’s game with Prospect as Warble beat Palatine 2-0 on a 2-hitter and Hayes beat Arlington 9-3.

“We went from a disaster to a pretty good week,” said Elk Grove coach Brian Mucha.

Especially after Warble, who had to leave a start in the Moline tournament two weeks ago in the first inning, was cleared by a doctor with a little inflammation in his left arm. He finished with 9 strikeouts and threw 94 pitches against Palatine.

“I figured he’d throw a couple of innings and he said, ‘I can throw longer,’” Mucha said. “He was unhittable. It was pretty remarkable.”

Joe Belmonte’s 2-out, 2-run double with the bases loaded gave Warble the runs he needed. Belmonte also had a pair of 2-run singles and Thomas Byrne had a 2-run single against Arlington.

And Elk Grove turned on the power at Rec Park as Julian Sipiora homered and Nick Fillmore hit his first career homer to dead center field.

“It was an absolute bomb,” Mucha said. “He absolutely tattooed it.”

Hayes went the distance and protected a 6-3 lead with runners at second and third and no outs when he struck out the side.

Elk Grove will be off until Wednesday when it hosts a County tourney opener against the play-in game winner.

Barrington answers challenges: Barrington (23-11) passed two tough tests as it started 10th District play as the top seed.

Barrington rallied to beat No. 8 Deerfield 9-5 in the opener on Wednesday. It broke open a scoreless game in the sixth and beat Zion 4-0 as Greg Gerrard threw a 6-hitter.

That has Barrington hosting today’s 5:30 p.m. game against Waukegan or Libertyville. The winner plays for the championship and a chance to go to next week’s Second Division tournament in Lena.

Gerrard had 6 strikeouts and 2 walks. Ryan Lidge had a tiebreaking 2-run single and Frank Waliczek and David Alameda had RBI singles.

“Zion gave us everything and then some,” said Barrington coach Pat Wire. “Our guys didn’t lose their poise.”

That was also evident against Deerfield as an error, walk and home run put Barrington behind 3-0 after just three hitters.

Barrington came back as John O’Connell homered for the third time in two games against Deerfield and Derek Foderaro and Steve Schwartz had 2 hits.

“I thought, ‘Oh man, this will be tough,’” Wire said. “I’m glad we ended up playing them. It will prepare us for any challenge we’ll face.”

Busy finish for Arlington: Arlington hosted Northbrook in its Cook County regular-season finale on Thursday and then headed to Appleton (Wis.) for a five-game weekend tournament with a short-handed pitching staff.

“Anybody who wants to can pitch,” laughed Arlington coach Lloyd Meyer, whose team is 8-1 in Cook County play.

Finding guys who can pitch successfully will be the key for Arlington in next week’s County tourney. Kurt Donner beat Morton Grove 4-0 on Tuesday.

“We have to get good pitching and we have to hold people in,” Meyer said. “We’re capable but we’re not there yet.”

Potential preview: Palatine rebounded from its loss to Elk Grove with a 9-5 win over Northbrook on Wednesday. The two teams could meet again in a County tourney opener if they finish as third and fourth seeds.

Sean Stutzman improved to 2-0 as he gave up 3 earned runs in 6 innings and had 7 strikeouts and 3 walks. Jack Andersen continued his hot hitting by going 2-for-3 with a double and 4 RBI.