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Wright's a relief as Carmel handles Stevenson

When posing for a picture with Stevenson's Western Michigan-bound offensive lineman Zach Novoselsky, most people would get squeezed out of the frame.

Not Carmel Catholic baseball player Dalton Wright, who, at 6 feet 5, can stand toe to toe with Novoselsky, even if he's significantly leaner.

"He's just a little wider than me. That's OK," said Wright, still smiling after he and his old buddy Novoselsky had their picture taken together Saturday at Carmel.

Funny, Wright looked just as comfortable pitching in relief, despite having established himself as a quality starting pitcher during his high school career.

Wright threw 3⅓ scoreless innings after replacing starter Bryan Stanislawski, and Carmel used a pair of big innings to defeat Stevenson 13-3.

Tom Greffly, a 6-3, 180-pound senior first baseman who got cut last year, ended the game with a pinch-hit, walk-off, 2-run double in the sixth.

"I've been working with my coach lately," Greffly said. "I was just sitting back, staying through the ball and trying to get it out there."

For Wright, who anchors Carmel's staff along with Illinois-bound Quinten Sefcik, it was his first relief appearance of the season. The right-hander, who's scheduled to start Thursday at home against Palatine, retired the last 10 batters he faced.

"We talked about getting Dalton in (the game) in relief because his last couple of starts he's pitched well but he's been up in the zone," coach Dann Giesey said after his Corsairs improved to 8-2-1. "I thought his control was the best it's been. He had some change-ups where he really had great downward action. I thought he had good movement. They couldn't square him up. Guys were hitting groundballs.

"That's Dalton."

Stevenson (2-2), which is already playing this season without middle-of-the-order hitters Novoselsky (shoulder, ankle) and Jimmy Marchese (ACL), had to take No. 3 hitter Austin Black out of the game after the senior outfielder flied out in the first inning. Patriots coach Paul Mazzuca called it a shoulder injury.

"Actually, I think it happened in Wednesday's game (against Palatine)," Mazzuca said.

Stanislawski struggled uncharacteristically with his control in the first inning. Joey Morris led off the game for Stevenson by reaching on a dropped-third strike in the dirt. With two out, Stanislawski walked Willie Bourbon and then hit both Mitchell Goll and Jack Joseph, forcing in the game's first run.

A pickoff got Stanislawski out of the jam.

"If you don't get that pickoff in the first inning - who know? - maybe the guy gets a double," Giesey said. "Maybe they score 3-4 runs, and it's a totally different game."

Stanislawski worked a 1-2-3 second but then ran into more control issues in the third, walking a pair. After an infield error loaded the bases, Giesey called on Wright.

"Brian is so pinpoint on his control," Giesey said. "He didn't have it today."

Joseph greeted Wright with a two-run single to hike Stevenson's lead to 3-0, but the Patriots didn't put another batter on base the rest of the game.

Carmel then busted out for 8 runs in its half of the third, sending 13 batters to plate. Sophomore Joe Santoro's booming RBI double over the head of right fielder Sam Harris got the Corsairs on the board.

With Nick Grandolfo nursing a pulled quad, Santoro has moved into the leadoff spot the last few days.

On the pitch before his deep double, he squared around with two strikes and ducked out of the way of ball three.

"That was the best at-bat of the day," Giesey said.

Later in the third, Santoro knocked in another run by pushing a bunt between the mound and first base and legging it out for a single. Carmel's big inning also included sophomore Cooper Johnson's game-tying two-run double, Grandolfo's go-ahead squeeze bunt, Andrew Wienke's RBI walk and Andy Kantor's sacrifice fly.

The run support was plenty enough for Wright.

"Throwing in relief, you get a little more adrenaline, more pumped because you know you can finish the game," Wright said. "I don't mind it."

Wright struck out only one batter, but got nine groundball outs.

"I was missing down when I was missing," Wright said.

Carmel added 5 more runs in the sixth, which also included Ian Kristan's RBI double and Wienke's run-scoring single.

Stevenson used six pitchers, who combined to walk seven batters, hit two and allow 4 doubles.

"We didn't play very well," said Mazzuca, whose team had only 2 hits. "Our inexperience on the mound showed. You can't pitch behind in the count, especially to a team as good as Carmel."

  Carmel's Austin Knauer is safe at home as he knocks the ball loose from Stevenson catcher Joey Morris at Carmel on Saturday in Mundelein. George LeClaire/gleclaire@dailyherald.com
  Carmel's Austin Knauer, after knocking the ball loose, gets up to continue to home plate as Stevenson catcher Joey Morris looks to get the ball at Carmel on Saturday in Mundelein. George LeClaire/gleclaire@dailyherald.com
  Carmel relief pitcher Dolton Wright faces Stevenson on Saturday in Mundelein. George LeClaire/gleclaire@dailyherald.com
  Stevenson's Willie Bourbon slides into home plate safe as Carmel catcher Ian Kristan reaches for the tag at Carmel on Saturday in Mundelein. George LeClaire/gleclaire@dailyherald.com
  Stevenson's Michael Banakis dives safely back to first base as Carmel first baseman Andrew Wienke waits for the ball on Saturday in Mundelein. George LeClaire/gleclaire@dailyherald.com
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