Elk Grove one win from Cook County title
After being stunned in the opening round of the Cook County American Legion baseball tournament, Elk Grove now finds itself one win away from a trip to the state finals.
The top-seeded Red Sox knocked off Palatine 6-3 Friday at Rec Park in Arlington Heights. Games were shortened to seven innings because of Friday morning’s bad weather and the delayed start of the tournament.
Now Elk Grove (20-13) will play in today’s 3 p.m. winner-take-all final at Rec Park against the winner of the noon elimination game between Palatine and Arlington.
Arlington (24-10) stayed alive as Jack Mullenix threw a 5-hitter to beat Northbrook 10-3.
“It is funny how things work,” said Elk Grove coach Brian Mucha, whose team won its first County title two years ago. “But the bracket worked to our favor. It helped that we were the top seed.”
Palatine, which has lost to Elk Grove three times this year, took the lead in the first inning. Erik Smoy, who led off with a single, scored on Trent Rehusch’s two-out single to center.
Elk Grove tied it in its half of the first. Thomas Byrne (3-for-4) also led off with a single and scored on a fielder’s choice when Julian Sipiora broke up a double play with a hard slide to second.
Defending County champion Palatine (20-6-1) pulled ahead in the third 3-1. The Blue Jays loaded the bases with one out and Jack Andersen scored on a wild pitch. Rehusch then scored on a picture-perfect suicide squeeze by Kevin Tednes.
Elk Grove jumped ahead for good in its half of the third. The Red Sox erupted for 5 runs on hits by Byrne, Joe Belmonte, Sipiora, Nick Fillmore and a sacrifice fly by Blake Cavins.
“I was in a slump,” said Hilliard, whose 2-run single broke the tie. “It felt good to have a long at-bat and help the team.”
“I thought Hilliard’s at-bat was huge for us,” Mucha said. “It changed all the momentum.”
That gave Ryan Hayes (7-1) all the runs he needed. Hayes, who was in trouble in the first few innings, retired 11 of the last 12 batters he faced.
“When we got the lead I was able to relax more,” Hayes said. “I was getting my changeup over and they had trouble picking it up.”
“Our guys battled hard,” Palatine coach Jeff Ryder said. “We are happy to have a chance to play tomorrow.”
So is Arlington thanks to Mullenix as the left-hander settled down after giving up 3 runs and 3 hits in the first inning. He allowed only 2 his the rest of the way and had 4 strikeouts and no walks on just 70 pitches.
“He just kept them off-balance and was ahead in the count,” said Arlington coach Lloyd Meyer. “He got a lot of groundballs. His ball really moves and he was getting his curveball over. He really looked good.”
Arlington got a run back in the first on Matt Hendricks’ RBI single and tied it in the second on an RBI triple by Ed Gerdes and a sacrifice fly by Brad Gerdes. Then came a crazy 6-run third where the only run-scoring hit was a single by Jimmy Pinakidis.
Kevin Cwynar singled and scored on Brad Gerdes’ single in the fourth to finish the scoring.
Northbrook had advanced when Portage Park forfeited their elimination game originally scheduled for Friday morning.
Second Division
Max Redpath did his best to keep Barrington alive in the Second Division tournament in Lena. Redpath allowed only 1 earned run in 7⅓ innings and left with a 1-run lead against the tourney hosts in an elimination game.
But missed offensive opportunities wound up making a difference as Barrington (27-13) saw its season end in a 6-4 loss in 10 innings.
“They didn’t throw anybody we couldn’t hit but we hit the ball hard and they caught it,” said Barrington coach Pat Wire. “Max was outstanding. He gave us every bit of an opportunity to get into the championship game.
“I couldn’t be any more proud of him. He wanted to have the ball and he kept us in the game.”
Lena (23-4) tied it off Greg Gerrard in the eighth and scored two of its 3 runs in the 10th on walks where Wire said some close pitches didn’t go Barrington’s way.
“I told the boys you can’t leave it that close,” Wire said. “We had opportunities but I give them credit. They caught the ball. I don’t know how they did in some cases but they did and that’s the way it goes.”
Ryan Lidge was 2-for-4 with 2 RBI for Barrington. It was also the last game for Gerrard, David Alameda, Chris Rogers and Derek Foderaro, who were part of the state tournament team two years ago.
“The hardest part is saying goodbye to the guys who got us two District championships (in three years),” Wire said. “I’m proud of what they’ve done.”
Lena would have to beat Elgin twice today to win the Division title and make the state tourney in Galesburg.
High school
The Lake Park regional championship game of the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association Phil Lawler Summer Classic between No. 3 Schaumburg and No. 8 St. Viator was postponed to 9 a.m. Saturday in Roselle. The Friday game was postponed because of unplayable field conditions.
The winner advances to the Elite Eight next week and starts play in the double-elimination tourney at 12:30 p.m. Monday at North Central College in Naperville against Machesney Park Harlem (18-1).
Ÿ Daily Herald sports writer Marty Maciaszek contributed to this report.