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Baseball: Grayslake North speeds past Central

A track meet broke out during Grayslake Central's home baseball game against Grayslake North.

Actually, the track meet - junior high boys and girls - was in foul-ball range in the adjacent stadium.

Austin DeLao, Grayslake North's hard-hitting junior catcher, isn't a sprinter and claims he doesn't run fast.

"I get a courtesy runner," DeLao said.

DeLao (and his courtesy runner) and several Grayslake North players did a lot of racing on the base paths Friday. The Knights put crooked numbers on the scoreboard three times in beating their crosstown rival 14-3 in six innings. That gave the Knights bragging rights, as they beat the Rams twice in three Northern Lake County Conference games this week.

"We just got 'out-toughed,' " Grayslake Central coach Troy Whalen said after his team lost its third game in a row. "I tell the kids, 'Guys, you got to be tough every day except on those days that end in a Y.' The kids are still learning that. North was better than us."

DeLao led the way offensively for Grayslake North (10-4, 4-2), going 3-for-5 with 4 RBI. He had RBI singles in the second and sixth innings and a 2-run base hit in the Knights' 6-run fifth.

"I felt it today," DeLao said. "It was just a great feeling and gave me confidence."

DeLao ignited the Knights' offense in the first inning simply by putting the ball in play, as he reached on a one-out error against Rams sophomore starter Eric Sturm. After starting and winning pitcher Danny Yates flied out deep to left, Charlie Burr got hit by a pitch, and Sebastian Sancen followed by ripping a 2-run triple into left-center. Declan Peterson's single scored Sancen.

DeLao delivered a two-out single to plate Nick Lovitsch in the second to make it 4-0.

Grayslake Central (12-5, 4-2) got a 2-run single from Ben Fitzgerald in the third and RBI single from Tony Neuman in the fourth to trim its deficit to a single run. But Grayslake North responded with 6 runs in the fifth. Besides DeLao's 2-run single, the inning also included Chris Kelly's infield RBI single, a bases-loaded walk to Nate Marshall and another Rams error.

"I think that's a testament to the kids in this dugout," coach Brett Hill said of his Knights' big inning after the Rams got within 4-3. "They're going to play the game."

Ben Kordek (2-for-2) and Benton Troehler doubled for Grayslake Central. Sturm went 4 innings in suffering the loss, but only 1 of the 4 runs the right-hander allowed was earned. He struck out four.

"I was proud of Eric," Whalen said. "He settled down after the first inning."

Kelly and Andrew Keaskowski (RBI single in a 4-run sixth) each had 2 hits for Grayslake North. Yates pitched 5 innings, striking out five.

"That's a good team win," Hill said after his Knights pounded out 12 hits (11 singles). "We talked to the kids about guys just stepping up, two-strike at-bats, doing the little things on the bases, being aggressive on throws, and just playing smart baseball across the board."

After all the running they did, including stealing a pair of bases, the Knights could relax, smile and go home.

The track kids were still sprinting.

"It's always fun to play the rival," DeLao said. "We just wanted to come out and play like we have been and get that 'W.' "

  Grayslake North pinch runner Lucas Kuklinski slides safely into second base as the ball bounces away from Grayslake Central second baseman Kyle Allen on Friday at Grayslake Central. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Grayslake Central starting pitcher Eric Sturm works against visiting Grayslake North on Friday. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Grayslake North's Charles Burr gets hit by a pitch from Grayslake Central's Eric Sturm in the first inning on Friday at Grayslake Central. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Grayslake North's Sebastian Sancen digs for third base with a 2-run triple against host Grayslake Central in the first inning Friday. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Grayslake North starting pitcher Danny Yates delivers against host Grayslake Central on Friday. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
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