Baseball/Fox Valley roundup
Neuqua Valley 6-3, Bartlett 2-2: The Wildcats swept this Upstate Eight Valley doubleheader in Naperville. Neuqua Valley (21-8, 18-5) scored 6 runs in the first four innings to take command of Game 1 against losing pitcher Doug VanDyke (6-2), who allowed 6 earned runs on 8 hits, walked 1 and struck out 4 in 5 innings. Hawks starting pitcher Colin Nowak (2-3) pitched into the eighth inning in Game 2, but the Wildcats prevailed in walk-off fashion on Drew Sterioti’s bases-loaded single. Bartlett (13-10, 12-10) was limited offensively to 9 hits and 2 walks in 15 innings.
Streamwood 9-4, Larkin 5-8: The Elgin Area District U-46 rivals split an Upstate Eight River doubleheader. Streamwood erupted for 12 hits in the 9-5 victory, led at the plate by Matt Harding (3-for-4, 2 2B, RBI), Jeff Weaver (3-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI) and Kevin Sojda (2-for-3, 2 RBI). Winning pitcher Sojda (3-4) allowed 3 runs (2 earned) on 5 hits, walked 3 and struck out 3 in 6 innings. Jon Lenz (1-1) took the loss for Larkin (9-16, 6-15).
Junior Brayden Royse drove in 3 runs, Tyler Kalusa doubled twice and drove in a run and winning pitcher Will King (3-3) allowed 4 runs (3 earned) on 10 hits as the Royals gained a split with an 8-4 win in Game 2. Jeremy Campbell (1-5) took the loss for Streamwood (5-18, 5-16).
South Elgin 2-0, Lake Park 1-11: David Palmer’s bases-loaded single powered the Storm to a walk-off victory in the opener of this UEC Valley doubleheader. Winning pitcher Joe Crivolio (2-2) went the distance, allowing 1 earned run on 4 hits. He issued 1 walk and recorded 8 strikeouts. Division-leading Lake Park (22-7, 8-4) pummeled South Elgin in Game 2. Eric Vatch tossed a 2-hit shutout for the Lancers to defeat Tyler Brown (1-4), who gave up 6 runs (5 earned) on 5 hits and 3 walks in 4 innings. Nick Binder (2-for-3) managed the only 2 hits for South Elgin (12-14, 11-11).
Geneva 6-12, Elgin 3-1: The Maroons were swept in a UEC River road doubleheader after mustering just 6 hits and committing 5 errors. Ryan Sitter took the loss in Game 1. The junior yielded 6 runs (5 earned) on 5 hits, but 2 of those hits were home runs by Geneva (16-13, 13-12). He walked 3 and struck out 8 in 6 innings. Nick Turner took the Game 2 loss for Elgin (6-18, 5-16).
Cary-Grove 4, Dundee-Crown 2: Dean Christakes delivered a 2-run single with the bases loaded to key a 3-run bottom of the sixth as Cary-Grove rallied in the FVC Valley. Winning pitcher Andrew Splitt (3-0) held the Chargers to 2 earned runs on 5 hits and 2 walks. He struck out 7 in 6 innings, and Zach Marszal went 2-for-3 with 2 doubles for Cary-Grove (18-8, 12-5). Losing pitcher Jared Ludwig held the Trojans to 4 earned runs on 8 hits, walked 2 and struck out 3. Dylan Kissack doubled and Ryan Suwanski tripled and scored for Dundee-Crown (7-14, 4-11)
Hampshire 7, Woodstock North 6: The Whip-Purs rallied for 3 runs with two outs in the bottom of the seventh to notch an improbable Fox Valley Fox home win. Piotr Barnas singled in a run, Mike Laramie tied the game 6-6 with a single that scored Barnas and Tyler Crater’s walk-off single to left field scored RJ Consigny with the game-winning run. The uprising made a winner of starting pitcher Brandon Wescher (2-0), who gave up 6 runs (4 earned) on 5 hits, walked 3 and struck out 6 in 7 innings for Hampshire (13-12, 5-11).
Westminster Christian 6-0, Aurora Central Catholic 5-12: These possible regional semifinal opponents got a good look at each other in a nonconference doubleheader split. Four Westminster pitchers held ACC (25-6) to 7 hits in a 6-5 win. Chase Woods was the hitting hero (3-for-4, 2B, 3 RBI) for Westminster Christian (10-9). Drake Riedy threw a 2-hit shutout for the Chargers in the nightcap to beat three Westminster pitchers. The two teams would square off Wednesday in a Class 2A Westminster Christian regional semifinal if the Warriors win Monday’s play-in game against North Boone.
St. Edward 12, Guerin 2: The Green Wave collected 11 hits and senior pitcher Jacob Koehring (4-2) pitched 6 innings of 5-hit baseball with 11 strikeouts in a SCC Gold romp. Michael Castoro went 2-for-4 with a double, RBI and scored twice, and Tighe Koehring finished 3-for-4 and drove in a run for St. Edward (13-8, 10-6).
Burlington Central 6, Libertyville 5: Starting pitcher Dan Gerke (4-3) helped himself with the go-ahead sacrifice fly in the bottom of the sixth. He then pitched a scoreless seventh to complete the nonconference victory. Blake Alexander (2-for-2, 2B, 2 BB, 2 runs), Bryan Cynova (1-for-4, 2 RBI) and Michael Scott (1-for-3, 2 RBI) paced the offense for Burlington Central (12-8).