Baseball: Elgin Academy clinches 1st conference title since 1996
The Elgin Academy baseball team split an Independent School League doubleheader against University High School of Chicago on Saturday and in the process clinched its first baseball conference title since 1996.
In Elgin Academy's 8-4 win in Game 2, Henry Stone went 2-for-2 with a triple and scored twice, Derek Warren tripled and drove in a run, Andrew Wilson (RBI) and Ian Wilson (2 RBI) each doubled and Cameron Agno doubled and drove in a run.
Winning pitcher Johnathan Cruz lasted 6⅓ innings. He allowed 4 runs (1 earned) on 6 hits and 2 walks and struck out 11.
"Conference champs is one of many historic goals these players have focused on," Elgin Academy coach Steve Shapiro said. "Next up: the state tournament."
U-High prevailed 2-0 in Game 1 as two pitchers combined for a 2-hitter. Ian Wilson and Ethan Plantz had the Hilltoppers' only hits.
Huntley 5, McHenry 4: The visiting Warriors scored 3 runs in the top of the seventh, but Huntley pitcher Noah Konie closed out the opener of a 3-game Fox Valley Conference set by inducing a groundball to second base. Winning pitcher Kyle Morgan held McHenry (16-7, 11-5) to an earned run on 5 hits without a walk. He struck out 6 in 5 innings. Jeff Heinrich and Joe Rizzo belted solo home runs for Huntley (22-4, 14-2).
Cary-Grove 6, Elk Grove 1: Kevin Pedersen's go-ahead single and Ryan Ignoffo's 2-run basehit keyed a 5-run sixth inning that lifted Cary-Grove (18-8) to the nonconference win. Ignoffo drove in 3 and Collin Walsh finished 2-for-3 with 2 doubles. Winning pitcher Tommy Neilsen completed a 4-hitter with no earned runs allowed. He walked 1 and struck out 5.
Prairie Ridge 6, Jacobs 3: Jacobs tied the game 3-3 in the bottom of the sixth inning on Bryce Vincent's squeeze bunt, but the Wolves scored 3 in the top of the seventh to prevail in Fox Valley Conference play. Ian Oreskovich had 2 hits, Ryan McGorrian doubled and Christian Scianna hit a solo home run for Jacobs (13-12, 5-11).
St. Charles East 8, Glenbard East 5: John Carroll (2 RBI) had 3 hits in 4 at-bats, including a double, and Justin Galante and Niko Klebosits (double) each drove in a pair to pace the Saints in an Upstate Eight crossover. Two runs scored on Galante's sacrifice bunt in the bottom of the sixth as St. Charles East (18-6, 14-3) scored three times to snap a 5-5 tie. Relief pitcher Brett Brueske earned the win by limiting the Rams to an earned run on 3 hits and no walks in 3 innings. He struck out 2.
St. Charles North 10, East Aurora 0: Bennett Christiansen and Christian Erickson threw a combined, 5-inning no-hitter in an Upstate Eight crossover. Christiansen held the Tomcats scoreless with a strikeout over 4 innings and Erickson struck out 2 in a scoreless inning. Sam Faith (triple) and Sean Kreuger (double) drove in runs for St. Charles North (23-2, 18-1).
Geneva 5, West Aurora 4: The Vikings scored twice in the bottom of the sixth with the help of an error to snap a 3-3 tie in this Upstate Eight crossover. After Geneva issued a bases-loaded walk in the top of the seventh with one out, reliever Greg Owen cam on to get the final two outs on a shallow flyball to center field and a groundball to second base. Dylan Baer (3-for-4, 2 runs) and Noah Davison (2-for-3, double, RBI) paced the offense for Geneva (16-9, 13-6).
Batavia 1, Waubonsie Valley 0: Luke Golson pitched a 3-hit shutout with 1 walk and 9 strikeouts to lift the Bulldogs in nonconference play. Quinn O'Brien and Jared Martin each contributed 2 of the 5 hits for Batavia (6-12)
Brother Rice 8, Marmion 1: The Cadets fell behind early in this Chicago Catholic League road loss. Bobby Pierce and Dillon Dilorio managed the only hits for Marmion (13-12).
Aurora Christian 14-12, Christian Liberty Academy 2-0: Tanner Dissell finished 3-for-4 with a double, triple and 4 RBI, and Clark Turek (double) had 2 hits and 2 RBI to lead the Eagles to a 14-2 win in Game 1 of a Northeastern Athletic Conference doubleheader. In a 12-0 win, Dissell allowed only 3 hits in 5 innings. Jacob Brothers tripled and drove in a run, Sam Tickel (RBI) went 2-for-3 and Trey Madsen doubled for Aurora Christian (16-7).
Burlington Central 17, Marengo 4: The Rockets used 14 hits and 7 Marengo errors to scored 17 times in this Kishwaukee River Conference affair. The onslaught by Burlington Central (20-5, 10-2) was led by Ryan Knowlton (double, home run, 2 RBI), Clay Milas (2-for-5, 2 doubles), David Lauber (3-for-3, 3 RBI) and Matt Termini (2-for-4).