Illinois Patriots 13-U Black reel off six-win week
The week started with clutch hits and offensive outbursts and ended with outstanding pitching and defense as the Illinois Patriots 13-U Black rattled of a 6-1 record and secured a second-place tournament finish.
Competing in the Mama's Boy Invite in Carol Stream May 12-14, the Patriots earned the top seed after a dominating run through pool play.
After giving up two runs on three hits in the first inning of its opening game, the Patriots were spotless over the remaining 10 frames of Friday's doubleheader against the Glendale Heights Wolfpack and Warriors Baseball Club.
The Illinois Patriots rallied to beat the Wolfpack 4-2 on the strength of three-run rally in the fifth inning. They followed that dramatic finish with a combined five-inning no-hitter by Ryne Campana (three innings, four strikeouts, one walk) and Tyler Przespolewski (two innings, two strikeouts) in an 8-0 win over the Warriors.
The Patriots entered Sunday's semifinal against Wasco having not surrendered a hit or a run in 10 innings. Andrew Rossini pitched a complete game five-hit shutout to extend the scoreless streak to 16 innings as the Patriots posted a 3-0 win.
However, the streak ended at 18 innings when Elite Baseball Training - which plays in the West Suburban Baseball League's 13-U Elite Division - broke through in the third inning of the championship game on its way to downing the Patriots 9-4 for the title.
"Great tournament. Even though we lost, we played right there with them," Coach Mike Giovenco said.
Sunday's tournament finale capped off a busy stretch for the Patriots (15-6, 7-2 WSBL) who swept three WSBL games earlier in the week, including a pair of road contests.
On Monday night at Hoosier Grove in Streamwood, the Patriots blew open a see-saw battle with the Carol Stream Cougars thanks to a six-run sixth. IP broke a sixth-inning tie on the strength of an RBI triple by Rohin Patel, a run-scoring single by Josh Wilder and Campana's two-run double. Patel earned the win in the Patriots 13-7 victory.
The Patriots visited Wheaton Warriors the next night and left with a 6-4 win. Colin Blanchard's two-run double in the fourth inning, followed by a Wilder RBI single, put IP in front to stay. They picked up a late insurance run when Jacob Gama led off with a triple to right and later scored on a Patel single. Campana was the winning pitcher, with Dixon Wagner tossing two scoreless innings to collect the save.
Wagner drove in three runs on Wednesday as the Patriots launched a 12-hit attack in a 14-4 win against Glen Ellyn Rebels Red. Colin Blanchard also had three RBI and Isaiah Ortiz added a two-run double as IP tallied nine runs in the final two innings. Carter Blanchard started on the mound and notched the win.
The Patriots, affiliated with Palatine-based Dream Big Athletics, play a trio of WSBL games this week. They host the Bartlett Silverhawks on Wednesday; hit the road for a Thursday contest against Outlaws Baseball Black; and return home on Saturday against Clarendon Hills.