Baseball: Hayes' blast lifts St. Charles East past Geneva
St. Charles East assistant coach Mark Foulkes calls power-hitter Kyle Hayes "The Beast."
Teammates call the 6-foot-1, 210-pound sophomore "Big Hayes" or "Big Dog."
Junior Clay Conn called him "an animal" Saturday.
The nicknames will keep coming if Hayes keeps crushing home runs like the solo shot he launched over the center-field batter's eye to walk off Geneva 8-7.
Hayes led off the seventh against reliever Mike Klazura and fell behind in the count 1-2.
He shortened his swing - a technique the right-handed batter has been working on with coach Len Asquini to cut down on strikeouts - and smashed a curveball for his first walk-off hit in two varsity seasons.
What was it like to be mobbed at the plate after winning a game the Saints trailed 7-2 in the fifth inning?
"That was the most incredible moment of my life, to be honest," Hayes said with a wide smile.
The slugger's sixth home run in 15 games kept St. Charles East (11-3-1, 6-1) tied for first place in the DuKane Conference with St. Charles North (11-6, 6-1).
It was Hayes' second mammoth home run in as many home games. He smashed one over the scoreboard in left field against Wheaton Warrenville South Thursday, but Saturday's game-winning blast was a reputation builder.
"That was a two-strike swing right there and he still hit it 360-plus (feet)," Cole Conn marveled. "Way more than 360."
"His senior year, I swear he's going to be hitting the hospital," Clay Conn said of the distant building beyond the batter's eye. "Words can't explain how much power that kid has."
Geneva (8-9-1, 2-5) led 7-2 after a 3-run fifth inning. That rally included a run-scoring single by Klazura, who went 3-for-4.
The Saints answered with 3 runs in the bottom of the fifth, helped by 2 Geneva errors and 2 walks. Cole Conn delivered a 2-run single with two outs to draw his team within 7-5.
Geneva walked three more Saints in the sixth inning. Two scored, one in classic St. Charles East fashion. Luke Matheny was at third base with two outs when Clay Conn drew a walk and never stopped at first base.
"Coach Foulkes gave me the sign to keep going," Clay said. "My goal was just to get in a rundown and let Luke score. He did well, going at the right time."
With the Geneva defense caught off guard, Matheny slid home safely without a throw to tie the game 7-7.
Geneva managed 14 hits, including a first-inning, 2-run home run by Nick Black. However, the Vikings lost their second straight game and sixth in seven outings after committing 3 errors and issuing 7 walks.
"We played some pretty good defense most of the time and then we got in some hairy spots and had trouble locating," Geneva coach Brad Wendell said. "Give them credit for getting it done, but I think it was about us not finishing. My message was we have to come back and play baseball and be better. It starts with the JV game and then it's Monday and Tuesday. If we let this affect us, then we're going to be in trouble."
Reliever Grant Meador earned the win. He got the last two outs of the seventh inning with Vikings on first and second.
Geneva starting pitcher Blake Breon did not factor in the decision after holding the Saints to 3 runs (2 earned) on 4 hits and 3 walks in 4⅔ innings.
Breon (double), Black, Ryan Stempowski and Hunter Venditti each had 2 hits for the Vikings.