Lakes puts it all together, gets first win

Chase Slota dominated on the mound, Justin Blasinski homered, and Lakes' baseball team earned its first win of the season Wednesday.

The Eagles won the North Suburban Prairie Division game 12-0 over visiting Vernon Hills in five innings, as the junior right-hander Slota allowed only 2 hits in a complete-game effort. It was his first start of the season.

Blasinski put Lakes (1-5, 1-1) on the board in the bottom of the second when the junior launched Pat Crowley's fastball over the center-field fence for his first home run of the year. Lakes then blew the game open with an eight-run third inning that was aided by four bases on balls and three Vernon Hills errors.

Lakes added three runs in the fourth to put the game out of reach.

Blasinski finished 1-for-3 with 3 runs scored. Joe Sisk was 2-for-3 with a double, 2 RBI and 2 runs, and Billy Morris went 1-for-2 with a double and 3 RBI.

"Lakes played like a team with a sense of urgency," said Vernon Hills coach Jay Czarnecki, whose Cougars defeated the Eagles on Tuesday.

Carmel 6, Crystal Lake Central 2: The Corsairs' sophomores continued to contribute, as Joe Santoro was 2-for-3 with an RBI, while Cal Coughlin went the distance on the mound, allowing only 2 hits while striking out three and walking a pair. Neither run he allowed was earned.

Fellow sophomore Cooper Johnson drove in a run and walked twice for Carmel (11-2-1).

Andy Kantor (double) had the only extra-base hit for the winners. Nick Grandolfo (3 runs scored), Ian Kristan and Billy Winegard each had a single and an RBI for the Corsairs.

Libertyville 3, Stevenson 0: Mitchell Townsend pitched 6 innings, allowing only 2 hits, while striking out six and walking two, as the visiting Wildcats shut out the Patriots for the second day in a row.

Rose-Hulman-bound Ian Grant tossed the seventh to earn the save.

Libertyville (6-2, 2-0) received 2 hits apiece from Conor Simpson and Matt Reed, who had the game's only RBI. Hunter VanWagner doubled for the Wildcats.

Stevenson (2-4, 0-2) had only 2 hits, including a double by Jack Joseph.

Mundelein 3, Prairie Ridge 2: Luke Peterson's sacrifice fly with the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth lifted the Mustangs in the nonconference game.

Dillon O'Donoghue earned the win in relief of Adam Turner, who pitched 6 1/3 innings with 5 strikeouts. Logan Reckert was 2-for-3 for Mundelein (11-0), and Reese Dolan doubled.

Lake Zurich 6, Lake Forest 0: Sam Zoibi pitched a complete-game 2-hitter, striking out eight and walking two in the North Suburban Lake contest.

Lake Zurich received 2 hits apiece from Steven Elrod and Colton Wagner (2 RBI). Spence Wright had a double and 2 RBI for the Bears. Danny Krueger singled and drove in a run.

Grayslake Central 7, Richmond-Burton 4: In a back-and-forth game, the host Rams pulled away late.

Matt Loeffl singled twice and scored twice for Grayslake Central (7-3), which had 9 hits. Justin Dooley added a double and 2 RBI, while Freddie Landers had a base hit and scored 3 runs.

The Rams used four pitches, with Dooley picking up his first win of the season. He pitched 1 2/3 shutout innings.

Antioch 33, North Chicago 2: The host Sequoits defeated the Warhawks for the second day in a row to improve to 2-0 in the North Suburban Prairie.

Warren 11, Zion-Benton 6: The visiting Blue Devils topped the Zee-Bees for the second straight day to improve to 2-0 in the North Suburban Lake.

Dom Cuevas (double, 2 RBI, 3 runs scored, 2 walks) and Wes Gordon (3 RBI, walk) both went 2-for-3 for Warren. Ben Dinter tripled, walked and knocked in a run, while Jay Falish contributed a double.

Jay Nickell earned the win.

Warren 4, Zion-Benton 1: At Warren on Tuesday, winning pitcher Andrew Hill allowed 2 hits, 2 walks and 0 earned runs in 6 2/3 innings, and Ben Perner recorded the final out to earn the save, as the Blue Devils won their North Suburban Lake opener.

Stephen Binstock (RBI) and Wes Gordon (2 RBI) were both 1-for-2 with a double and walk to lead Warren offensively.