Baseball: Willowbrook close, but Hinsdale South victorious
What does it take to endure a rugged conference baseball season without a loss?
Hinsdale South put on a clinic in Saturday's doubleheader against Willowbrook.
The Hornets claimed a pair of hard-fought West Suburban Gold victories in Villa Park, winning the opener 5-4 and pulling out the second game 3-2 in 10 innings.
Zach Duffy's RBI double in the top of the 10th provided the game-winning run in Game 2. It came on the heels of Lane Niemann's game-tying single in the seventh inning when Hinsdale South (19-2, 11-0) trailed 2-1 and was down to its final out.
The Hornets still have a long way to go for an 18-0 romp through the Gold - including Monday's finale against Willowbrook (7-10, 4-4). Saturday, though, was a huge step for the Hornets, who have won 14 straight games and haven't lost to an Illinois team.
"We've got a bunch of seniors on the team who really want to win, and they took three from us last year," Duffy said. "There's always one or two games where it shows a team's toughness, and I think that was today. We just need to keep winning."
Willowbrook starter Matt Pizur, who pitched into the eighth inning, and Charlie Klemm for much of the second game. Danny Mazzei's triple gave Hinsdale South a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth but Jon Kelso tied it in the bottom of the inning with an RBI single.
Kelso doubled home a run in the bottom of the sixth to put the Warriors ahead 2-1, but they couldn't close it out in the seventh. Danny Schimmel reached on a bunt single, stole second and scored on Niemann's hit.
Zack Wenkus set down the Warriors in order in the bottom of the seventh to cap the doubleheader sweep.
"Last year we won nine 1-run games, and this year we seem to be on the other end," said Willowbrook coach Vic Wisner. "We're just not finishing games. We're a pitch or two away from winning both games."
In the opener Hinsdale South took a 5-2 lead in the top of the seventh before Willowbrook closed strong with 2 runs in the bottom half. A wild pitch scored the Warriors' third run and Kyle Ferguson's single narrowed the gap to 5-4.
Hornets pitcher Jaxon Herchenbach, in relief of winner Frank Basic, coaxed the final out. Cam Zunkel took the loss.
"Our guys are mentally tough, they want to win and they're not satisfied," said Hornets coach Paul Hoel. "It's a credit to them. They really battled."
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