Kusiak crushes it as Grant rolls
Eddie Kusiak homered twice, doubled and drove in 4 runs, as Grant's baseball team stayed atop the North Suburban Prairie Division standings with an 18-0 win over host Antioch on Wednesday.
Matt Mason went 3-for-4 with 3 RBI for Grant (22-7, 9-1). Andrew Stone (5-2) pitched a five-inning complete game, allowing 2 hits and striking out three. The Bulldogs also got a double and 2 walks from Nick Heidenthal.
Antioch fell to 4-6 in the NSC Prairie.
Lakes 5, Wauconda 4: The Eagles rallied for 2 runs in the bottom of the seventh to pull out the North Suburban Prairie contest and remain one game back of first-place Grant in the division.
With one out and a runner on second base in the Lakes seventh, Bryan Gross (2-for-4) singled down the left-field line to score the tying run. After a strikeout, Gross advanced to second on a wild pitch. Ben Haviland came in to pinch run for Gross, and senior Justin Blasinski delivered a walk-off single to score Haviland.
Blasinski finished 2-for-3, as Lakes improved to 18-7-1 overall and 8-2 in the NSC Prairie. Bill Morris (2-0) pitched 3 1/3 innings to earn the win. He did not allow a run, surrendered 4 hits, walked one and struck out one.
Wauconda (11-13, 6-4) got 3 hits apiece from Luke Weller and Joey Schaer. Jack Weller had a double.
Vernon Hills 14, Round Lake 1: The Cougars had 14 hits from 11 players in the North Suburban Prairie contest.
Robby Nardini and Jack Duffley each had 2 hits for Vernon Hills (18-10, 7-3). Sophomores Nick Marras and Joe Rangel each hit safely. Bradley Fisher doubled in his only at-bat for the Cougars.
Round Lake finished 2-10 in the NSC Prairie.
Mundelein 6, Stevenson 3: The Mustangs scored 4 runs in the top of the seventh to pull out the North Suburban Lake game and remain in sole possession of first place.
Winning pitcher Nick Brune was 2-for-4 with RBI double that tied the score in the seventh. All nine Mundelein starters had at least one hit, as the Mustangs improved to 22-7 and 8-2 in the division. Luke Peterson and Cooper Michalski were both 2-for-4.
Stevenson fell to 18-9-1 and 5-5 in the NSC Lake.
Grayslake Central 12, Hampshire 6: The host Rams scored 6 runs in the first inning on their way to the Fox Valley Fox victory.
David Llorens fanned six over 4 innings in picking up his fifth win of the season. Griffin Shepley and Brett Whalen also saw mound duty for the Rams (13-12). Sophomore Ben Fitzgerald doubled, singled and had 2 RBI. Sam Nozicka added a pair of singles for GC, which had 11 hits.
Carmel 4, Marian Central 1: Garrett McClellan moved to 6-2 on the season, allowing 1 run, which was unearned, in 5 innings of work. He gave up 1 hit and 1 walk, striking out three.
The Corsairs were led offensively by Joe Santoro (2-for-3, triple, RBI), Matt Collins (2-for-3 double, stolen base, RBI) and Cooper Johnson (2-for-, double, RBI).