Baseball: Grayslake Central (4-0) stays hot in Florida

Talk about a perfect spring-break trip.

Grayslake Central's baseball team continued its hot start to the season on Tuesday, as the Rams wrapped up play in Orlando, Fla., by beating St. Luke's out of Danburt, Ct., 11-3 at the ESPN Wide Word of Sports Complex.

Sam Ruhlman and Benton Troehler each went 2-for-4 with 2 runs scored and 3 RBI for the Rams, who improved to 4-0. Troehler (double) and Ben Fitzgerald (triple, 2 RBI) had extra-base hits, Ryan Casper was 2-for-3 with 2 RBI, and leadoff-hitter Sam Nozicka walked three times and scored 3 runs.

Starter Brett Whalen earned the win, allowing just 1 run in 3 innings. Freshman Coby Moe finished up on the mound with 2 scoreless frames, striking out three.

"We've never gone undefeated down here and this is our ninth year in Orlando," GC coach Troy Whalen said. "The kids really hit the ball today up and down the order, and we scored 6 runs after two outs, which is a great sign of resiliency.

"We've got a lot of new players to the varsity level this year, but this is why we come to Florida and play. To be able to play four varsity games and four JV games over four days, it really gives you a view of your team and areas to work on. More importantly, year in and year out, this trip serves as the foundation for building team chemistry."

Grayslake Central resumes its schedule Saturday, when the Rams host Highland Park at 11 a.m.

Warren 6, Benton 3: At Rent One Park in Marion, Matt Burch was 3-for-4 with a triple, double and 5 RBI for the Blue Devils.

Michael Rosenberg and Jack McCullough were both 2-for-3 with a double for Warren, and Luke Schmitt finished 2-for-4. Neither Liam Hannigan (3⅓ innings) nor Nate Rodriguez (3⅔ innings) allowed an earned run for the Blue Devils.

Wauconda 17, Grant 7: At Rent One Park in Marion, Collin Shrader was 4-for-5 with 2 doubles, 4 runs scored and 2 RBI, and Trevor Sefcik went 4-for-4 with a double and 5 RBI to lead Wauconda.

Jake Grobelny (3-for-5, 3 RBI) and Drake Berman (2-for-4, double) also had big days at the plate for Wauconda (3-0).

Grant's Matt Mason was 3-for-4 with 2 triples, a double, 3 runs and 2 RBI.

Antioch 7, Woodstock 4: Alex Unekis' 3-run triple highlighted a strong fifth inning for the Sequoits in the nonconference game.

Unekis' third hit of the game plated Ben Gutke, Austin Marsiglio and John Petty. Connor Kaiser got it done on the bump on the way to a win. He allowed 2 runs over 5 innings. Kaiser struck out four, walked three and gave up 5 hits.

Gutke had an RBI double in the first.

A two-run sixth inning helped bring Woodstock within two. But John Neville got a strikeout to end the inning.

Mundelein 6, Centralia 0: Arizona State-commit Brendan Murphy (2-0) struck out seven and allowed 2 hits in 3 innings, as the Mustangs improved to 3-0. Zack Zentz pitched 4 innings in relief, striking out seven and yielding 3 hits.

Mundelein was paced offensively by Southern Illuinois-bound Reese Dolan (3-for-4, double), Brett Parola (2-for-4, double), Nick Stricker (double) and Jeff Morton (double).

Vernon Hills splits: In Gulf Shores, Ala., the Cougars dropped a 9-1 decision to SBA, before beating Pulaski Academy 7-5.

Kyle Fasbinder doubled and drove in 2 runs in the second game and also pitched 3 innings in relief to earn the win.

Against SBA, Vernon Hills was led offensively by Matt Kieft (3-for-3) and Ryan Larsen (2-for-3, RBI).

Vernon Hills 2, University School of Jackson 1: In Alabama, Brad Larsen struck out nine and walked just one in a complete-game effort for the Cougars.

Tommy Earhart was 2-for-4 for Vernon Hills, which got RBI from Steven Tow and Connor McNamara.

Grayslake North 3, Tappan Zee 2: In Orlando, Fla., Tyler Elias drove in the winning run to cap a 3-run top of the seventh, as the Knights rallied for the win.

Johnny Rennolds (2-for-3) had a 2-run single for Grayslake North (3-5). Sebastian Sancen pitched 4 innings for the win, allowing 2 runs and 4 hits. He struck out a pair and walked one.

Glenbrook North 3, Stevenson 2: The Spartans scored the go-ahead run in the bottom of the sixth, after Patrick Loeffler's 2-run homer in the top of the inning pulled the Patriots (1-1) even.

The Indiana-bound Loeffler also had a triple.

Hoffman Estates 1, Lake Zurich 0: Nick Sanders suffered the tough-luck loss, as the Hawks scored an unearned run in the bottom of the seventh.

Sanders threw just 69 pitches in 6⅔ innings. He allowed just 2 hits, struck out five and didn't walk a batter.