Baseball: Keogh's key as Vernon Hills edges Mundelein
Vernon Hills 5, Mundelein 4: Playing its fourth game in as many days, Vernon Hills' baseball team turned to Brandon Keogh to make his first varsity start of the year Friday.
The senior righty rose to the occasion, allowing 4 runs (3 earned) over 6 innings to earn the win, as the Cougars defeated Mundelein 5-4 in a North Suburban Conference crossover.
Things didn't start ideally for Keogh, however, as Mundelein scored twice in the top of the first. Vernon Hills responded with one of their own in the bottom of the inning. Brennan Reback (1-for-2) drew a walk and stole second base. Tommy Earhart (3-for-3) later singled him home.
Mundelein added to its lead in the third. Jeff Morton reached on misplayed popup, moved to second on Reeses Dolan's base hit and scored on a single by Andrew Beres.
Vernon Hills cut the lead back to one run in the fourth, as Earhart tripled and was singled home by Matt Paszko (1-for-3).
The teams traded runs in the fifth. Reid Rubio had an RBI groundout for Mundelein in the fifth, and Joe Rangel's run-scoring groundout got the Cougars within one again.
In the Vernon Hills sixth, Matt Gramins singled home Earhart for the tying run. Reback was then hit by a pitch to force home Matt Paszko and give the Cougars a 5-4 lead.
Earhart came in to close out the game for Vernon Hills, allowing just 1 hit.
Libertyville 12, Round Lake 0: Junior right-hander Billy Krumm fired a five-inning no-hitter, striking out two and not walking a batter, as the Wildcats won the North Suburban crossover.
Brian Murphy homered for Libertyville (9-4), while Jackson Peterson was 2-for-3 with 3 RBI. Tim Calamari went 1-for-1 and knocked in a pair for the Wildcats.
Warren 23, North Chicago 0: Nate Styles threw a no-hitter for the Blue Devils, who improved to 9-4 with the North Suburban crossover win.
Wauconda 7, Lake Forest 4: John Herbst pitched 5 innings for the win, and Connor Olson threw 2 innings to earn the save, as the Bulldogs improved to 8-2 with the win in North Suburban crossover action.
Collin Shrader and Trevor Sefcik doubled for the Bulldogs, who had only 3 hits. Luke Weller, Sefcik and Greg LePage had RBI.
Antioch 6, Zion-Benton 4: Austin Marsiglio went 3-for-4, Tim Otter hit a solo homer, and Connor Kaiser allowed just 3 runs (1 earned) in 6 innings, as the Sequoits pulled out the North Suburban crossover.
Connor Geidner was 2-for-4, and Jake Emer went 2-for-2 for Antioch. John Petty finished 1-for-3 with 2 RBI.
Stevenson 5, Grant 1: Justin Kopech pitched 5 innings, allowing just 1 run (unearned), while striking out five and walking one for the Patriots in the North Suburban crossover.
Stevenson (9-3-1) got a single and an RBI each from Charlie Bourbon and Brandon Grant. Christian Dutler was 2-for-3 for the Patriots.
Jack Gorden was 3-for-3 for Grant (9-3). Hunter Sadoski took the loss, despite not allowing an earned run in 6 innings.
Crystal Lake South 7, Grayslake North 2: On Thursday, the Knights spotted the Gators a 4-0 lead after three innings and never recovered.
Sam Nayyer was 1-for-3 with a double for Grayslake North.