Treutler, Palatine rally in ninth to stun Arlington

Palatine pitcher Chad Treutler glumly walked off the Rec Park field with a 4-run deficit after the eighth inning Wednesday.

An inning later, Treutler stepped on first base for the final out and gleefully flipped the ball high into the air.

A 5-run burst in top of the ninth gave Treutler and fourth-seed Palatine a stunning 7-6 victory over two-time defending Cook County American Legion champion and top-seed Arlington in a second-round tournament game in Arlington Heights.

"I thought the game was over," Treutler said of Shane Uhle's two-out, 2-run double in the eighth that put Arlington ahead 6-2. "I'm living on a high right now.

"I always know we can come back, but when it was 6-2 on that pitch I left up ... that's the game of baseball."

Treutler didn't allow an earned run on 5 hits with 6 strikeouts and 2 walks in 8 innings. He threw 127 pitches as Palatine (25-13) won for the 13th time in 14 games.

The Blue Jays won their first two tourney games for the first time in Jeff Ryder's five years as coach and will play at 7 p.m. today at Rec Park against No. 2 Elk Grove (33-4), which beat No. 3 Wilmette 12-7 at Prospect High.

Elk Grove will start Grant Monroe while Ryder wasn't sure who would start, but he has options in Charlie Limjoco, Kyle Lindsay and Matt St. John.

Palatine did show it could finish to send Arlington ace Trace Ruffie (10-1) to just his second loss in two years.

"We're feeling it right now," said catcher Nick Addison, whose second double with one out in the ninth got Palatine within 6-3. "Everything goes your way when you're winning."

Defending state champion Arlington (35-9), which has won eight of the last nine County titles, now has to fight through the loser's bracket. It plays at noon today at Rec Park against No. 7 Mount Prospect (8-19), which beat Evanston 13-1 in 8 innings.

"It was one of those days," said Arlington coach Lloyd Meyer. "We didn't make plays, we didn't swing at strikes and they beat us."

Arlington went up 3-1 with two outs in the fourth on an RBI triple by Matt Serna and an RBI single by Will Hagel. Ruffie scattered 8 hits the first 8 innings with 13 strikeouts and no walks.

"He was still throwing well but our guys stayed patient," Ryder said. "He's a darn good pitcher. He's got to be one of the best in the state easily."

An infield hit by Alex Fett started the Palatine ninth. After Addison's double, a misplayed popup behind second dropped for a single by Lindsay (4-for-5).

"I thought here we go, we have a chance," Addison said.

Ryan Shober lined a single to left to load the bases for Andy Wulbecker, who was 2-for-3 with an RBI double.

Wulbecker was clipped in the helmet with a pitch in the sixth and also had to avoid other inside pitches. This time an 0-1 pitch nailed him in the helmet to make it 6-4 and start an exchange of words between both teams.

"He's the last kid I'd throw at," said Meyer, who knew Wulbecker's grandfather growing up in Arlington Heights.

Wulbecker said he didn't think Ruffie was throwing at him at any point in the game.

"Usually they're all outside but this game he was busting me inside," said Wulbecker, who stayed in the game. "There was no reason to (try and hit me) with the bases loaded.

"I was mad because I wanted to clear the bases. But I'll take the hit by pitch."

Treutler walked to make it 6-5 and Ruffie came out at 139 pitches.

Jason Ganek came on in relief and walked St. John to tie the game. Matt Gailey completed the dramatic comeback with a sacrifice fly to left to score pinch runner Scott Balcer.

Brian Gailey pitched a perfect ninth and got a grounder to Treutler at first for the save.

"That's a sign of a team that won't give up," Ryder said.

Elk Grove 12, Wilmette 7: A 3-run homer with two outs in the first by Kevin Osmanski off Elk Grove to a 10-1 lead it held against Wilmette (36-7) and starter Trey Frahler.

"That just lifted us like you wouldn't believe," said Elk Grove coach Brian Mucha.

Osmanski was 3-for-5 with 4 RBI, Grant Monroe went 3-for-5 and David Drew had 3 RBI and Kyle Sallmen was 2-for-5 with 2 RBI. Winner Will Osmanski allowed 3 runs and 4 hits in 7 innings.

Wilmette plays Northbrook, an 11-2 winner over Cicero, in today's 3:30 p.m. elimination game at Rec Park.

Prospect 13, Evanston 1: Lefty Rhombus Harloff threw a 4-hitter with 11 strikeouts and 1 walk as Prospect won in 8 innings.

"It was probably the best stuff he's had all year," said Prospect coach Dan Aloisio.

Connor Maro went 4-for-5 with 3 RBI to lead a 19-hit attack. Ryan O'Gara and Dan Horwitz went 3-for-5 with a double and RBI, Joe Jagiello and Matt Plis had 2 hits and 2 RBI and Tim Keyes had 2 RBI.