Baseball: Palatine stops Conant for fourth straight win

Matthew Helms hit a 2-run homer in the second inning and Joshua Rivera came up with a dominant start to help Palatine's baseball team stretch its win streak to four with a 3-1 victory over host Conant on Saturday in Mid-Suburban West play.

Jake Andersen added a solo homer in the third inning to finish the scoring for the Pirates (17-9, 8-3).

It turned out to be enough offense thanks to Rivera, who lasted 6⅓ innings to get the win. He fanned six and allowed 3 hits and 3 walks. Thomas Soby got the last two outs, retiring both batters he faced to earn a save.

Leadoff man Jack Reiger accounted for all the scoring for Conant (11-10-1, 6-5) with a solo homer in the fifth inning.

Buffalo Grove 9, Plainfield South 8 (9 inn.): Riley Rundquist hit a solo homer in the top of the ninth inning to help the visiting Bison get win No. 20 in nonconference play.

Rio Komatani had an RBI single in the seventh to help send the game to extra innings after Plainfield South (16-5) had taken the lead with a 5-run rally in the bottom of the sixth.

Zach Fricke had a solo homer in the first inning for BG (20-3) and also contributed a double. Rundquist finished 2-for-4 with 3 runs scored and 2 RBI, Komatani was 4-for-5 with a double and 3 RBI and Mac Camardo went 2-for-3 with 2 RBI.

Danny Pocklington was stellar in relief, allowing 1 hit and striking out seven over 4 innings to earn the win.

The Bison have won 16 straight, with their most recent loss April 5 against New Trier.

Prospect 7, Hersey 5: Ryan Howe hit a 2-run homer in a 3-run first inning as the visiting Knights earned a Mid-Suburban East victory.

Ethan Burgh later provided a 2-run single in the fourth inning. Prospect led 7-2 headed into the bottom of the seventh, when a 3-run homer by Daniel Clawson tightened up the score.

Jack Ankony pitched the first 3 innings for Prospect, and Luke Kyprianis was awarded the win after pitching the final 4 innings.

Anthony Catalano finished 2-for-3 with a double for the Knights (13-9, 6-5). Howe, Catalano and Richie Baczek (double) each stole 2 bases.

AJ Ceffalio had a pair of hits for Hersey (10-15-1, 5-7), and Kyle Smith and Jake Irwin each drove in a run.

Barrington 7, Libertyville 6: Tyler Acosta led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a double and scored on a two-out single by Mike Owsley as Barrington claimed victory in a nonconference matchup of elite teams.

Libertyville had scored once in the top of the seventh to tie it at 6-6, as courtesy runner Brendan Bazar stole second and scored on a two-out single by Tim Jean.

The big inning for Barrington (18-3-2) was the sixth. Clark Elliott drove in 2 runs with a single and then scored on a longball from Michael Zavoli.

Zavoli, who also double, finished 2-for-3. Acosta, Elliott and Jake Meyer each finished with 2 hits.

Andrew Kim, Tim Jean and Griffin Murphy each doubled for Libertyville. Jean (3-for-4) and Kim drove in 2 runs apiece, and Tanner Kelly had a pair of hits.

Nate Holler pitched the seventh inning and got the win for Barrington, and reliever Marco Scopacasa took the loss for Libertyville.

Rolling Meadows 7, Elk Grove 6: The host Mustangs overcame a 5-run first inning for the visiting Grens in MSL East action.

Luke Joyce and Jacob Johnson-Wright accounted for much of the offensive production for the Mustangs, as both finished 3-for-4.

Johnson-Wright doubled twice, scored twice and drove in 1 run. Joyce doubled once, drove in 2 runs scored twice. Brandon Janowicz, Jack Kane and Joe Coen had 2 hits apiece for the Mustangs (8-11-1, 6-6).

Joyce weathered that rough first inning, following it with 4 scoreless to earn the win. Coen pitched 2 scoreless innings to pick up a save.

Nick Hofmann and Ryne Singsank had 2 hits apiece for Elk Grove (5-14-1, 2-9), and Matt Crimmins and Zach Schwartz (double) both drove in 2 runs.

St. Viator falls twice: The Lions dropped a pair of tough ones in East Suburban Catholic Conference play in Chicago Heights.

In the first game, Marian Catholic's Aidan Stewart came up with a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning as the Spartans won 4-3.

St. Viator got all its scoring in the sixth inning, as Hunter Johnson and Ryan Stejskal drove in runs.

Bryce Hellgeth pitched the whole way for the Lions and allowed 8 hits and only 1 earned run with 6 strikeouts over 7⅔ innings.

In Game 2, Marian Catholic rallied for 4 runs in the top of the seventh for an 8-5 victory.

St. Viator's Casey Kmet had a big day, finishing with a homer and double and 2 RBI in a 3-for-4 effort at the plate. Casey Pulikowski (2-for-3) and Conor Warner also had doubles for the Lions (12-13).

Fremd 5, Warren 3: Victor Fujiu struck out seven in 4⅔ innings and host Fremd did enough damage with the bats for a nonconference win in a game played at Harper College.

Austin Higgins, Alex Baraban and Mitch Hundley had 2 hits apiece for the Vikings (11-8), and Connor Giusti and Baraban doubled.

Peter Hiller provided 2⅓ scoreless relief innings for Fremd.

Fremd 4, Hoffman Estates 1: The Vikings came up with three consecutive two-out extra-base hits in the bottom of the sixth inning to break up a tied game pick up an MSL West win.

Tim Okonek started the spree with an RBI double, Brent Swenson followed with a RBI triple to center and Tom Cermak finished the rally with an RBI double to left field.

Alex Bischoff was in fine form on the mound for Fremd, which improved to 5-6 in the MSL West. He tossed a complete game 4-hitter with 7 strikeouts and 1 walk.

Dylan Bloom drove in the run for Hoffman Estates (6-13, 2-9). Josh Magers had a pair of hits, including a double, and Richie Banas had a double.

Wheeling 11, Lincoln Park 2: Drew Roberts went 4-for-5 and Kyle Bullock hit a solo homer for the second straight day as the Wildcats won in nonconference action.

Roberts drove in 3 runs, with singles in the first and third innings and with a double in the second, and also scored 3 runs.

Winning pitcher Josh Boesen struck out four in 5 innings, and Cade Zalewski drove in 2 runs with a single in the third inning.

Christian Liberty sweeps: The Chargers prevailed 13-0 in the first game and won 12-2 in the second game for a pair of 5-innings decision against Schaumburg Christian.

Christian Liberty did not allow a hit in the first game behind winning pitcher Ethan Oskroba, and David Law earned the win in the second game.

Maine West 7, Evanston 6: The host Warriors scored in the bottom of the seventh on a fielder's choice for Anthony Salemi to gain a Central Suburban crossover victory.

Matt Fairhead doubled, walked twice and drove in 3 runs for the Warriors (9-10), and Matty Mustari finished 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI.

Justin Scholler had a pair of hits for Maine West, and Cory Scholler got the final out in the top of the seventh inning to gain the pitching decision.