Batavia rolls BC, falls to Benet

Brian Krolikowski paced the Batavia baseball team with 2 doubles and 3 RBI in the Bulldogs' 11-1 win over Burlington Central Saturday.

As a team, Batavia had 13 hits as they breezed past the Rockets.

Benet 3, Batavia 0: In its second game on Saturday, Batavia out-hit the Redwings 6-4 but could not score. Alex Beckmann batted 2-for-3 for the Bulldogs.

St. Charles North 4, Granite City 3:ŒAn outstanding pitching performance by senior lefthander Danny Jimenez and an inning of well executed "small ball" led St. Charles North to a 4-3 victory over Granite City on day three of their spring break road trip to southern Illinois Friday night.

Although Jimenez did not get credit for the victory, he was dominant over five innings of work allowing only two hits while striking out eight Warrior batters.

The North Stars broke a 1-1 tie in the fifth inning via a lead off single by Brian de la Torriente. Junior first baseman Zach Hirsch then laid down a sacrifice bunt which was bobbled by the Warrior fielder allowing both runners to reach base safely.

Sam Weinberg then pushed a bunt past the pitcher to load the bases with no outs. The North Stars then executed a perfect suicide squeeze bunt to plate a run. In fact, K.C. Wright put down such a good bunt that he beat it out for a hit keeping the bases jammed. Hirsch then scored a second run on a double play ground ball giving North a 3-1 lead.

Granite City came back in the sixth to tie the game with two runs off North Star reliever Mike Mastalski. Mastalski, however, would redeem himself in the bottom half oft he inning by lining a triple over the right fielder's outstretched glove and coming in to score what would be the game winning run on de la Torriente's RBI double to left center.

Weinberg came on to nail down the final out in the seventh inning to earn his first save of season.

Sandwich 7-6, Marmion 0-16:ŒThe Cadets managed only 1 hit in the opener, but belted 16 in Game 2. Matt Milroy batted 4-for-4 with a double, triple and scored 3 runs. Zack Young went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles. Dave DeSimone picked up the win and scored three times.

Glenbard South 12, Fenton 2:ŒIt took a whole lot of effort for Glenbard South to get its defrosted field ready for Saturday afternoon's baseball game against Fenton.

It may have cost the Raiders some early-game energy.

"We were out here real early trying to get this field ready, so we came out kind of lackadaisical," said senior outfielder Doug Anderson. "Coach got on us a little bit and we started to wake up. We really started to get into the game."

A late offensive burst pushed Glenbard South to a 12-2 six-inning victory over the Bison in a game moved from Bensenville to Glen Ellyn because of field conditions.

The Raiders (2-3) scored 5 runs in the fifth inning and 4 runs in the sixth to extend the margin to 10 runs. When starter and winning pitcher Tony Scotellaro (2-0) retired the Bison (2-3) in order in the bottom of the sixth, Glenbard South claimed the victory.

"We weren't playing with much enthusiasm," said Raiders coach Mike Riley. "Sometimes that happens when we kind of go overboard to get a game in and bring the kids out in the morning and spend a lot of time on the field. For whatever reason we come out flat after that.

"Once they started cheering for each other a little bit and showing a little more enthusiasm, that's when we woke up and started hitting the ball and playing a little better baseball," he said.

Anderson's 2-run double, followed by Sterling Smith's RBI single boosted Glenbard South's lead to 8-1 in the top of the fifth. Billy Gratzl's run-scoring single gave Fenton its second run in the bottom of the inning, but the Raiders used the long ball to break it open in the sixth.

Joe Biagini's solo homer off the left-field scoreboard started the sixth. An error scored another run before Anderson blasted a 2-run home run to left.

Scotellaro struck out four, walked two and scattered 4 hits to earn the win.

The junior lefty struggled a bit early, allowing an unearned first-inning run on a bases-loaded walk to Evan Scully that tied the game 1-1. Franz Merkendorfer's RBI fielder's choice spotted Glenbard South to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first.

The Raiders' lead grew to 3-1 in the fourth inning. Smith's squeeze bunt scored Chase Donald and a wild pitch scored Anderson, who reached base four times.

"It's been a scramble today switching fields, and the guys are tired," said Fenton coach Sam Gallucci, whose team arrived home Friday night from a three-day baseball trip to southern Illinois. "It kind of took its toll."

-- Kevin Schmit

Girls soccer

Huntley tournament: Aurora Central Catholic finished second as they defeated Indian Creek 2-0 before tying Marengo 4-4. The Chargers (1-2-1) took second based on goals allowed. For the day, Samantha Lowles scored four goals and Soledad Varghos had two assists.

Neuqua Valley 2, Hinsdale Central 1:ŒDroughts interrupted by hailstorms -- that's what goalkeeping can be, and Neuqua Valley's Rachel Suther negotiated some erratic weather just fine Saturday.

After the Wildcats (3-0) scored twice to erase a 1-goal halftime deficit against Hinsdale Central (1-2), Suther made a trio of saves in a minute's span to help preserve her squad's 2-1 win.

The junior tipped a shot over the crossbar, dove to stop another shot and stuffed yet another shot at the near post, all in the game's 66th minute.

"We were doing a great job up top. Then it was my turn, and I knew had to step up," Suther said. "You have to be ready, whenever."

"We know she's a quality keeper, and that's what we expect from her," said Wildcats coach Joe Moreau.

After a win on Friday over Downers Grove South, Hinsdale Central went up 1-0 Saturday on an own-goal by the Wildcats in the game's 10th minute, set up by a Deanna Huysani corner kick. The lead held to halftime, and the Red Devils were playing well.

"What's promising is that we've played well in two games against good competition where I thought we might be in over our heads," said Red Devils coach Skip Begley. "I think we can swim, and we can swim in the deep end.

"Now we certainly have to work on the first two minutes of the second half."

The Wildcats knotted the score just 15 seconds into the second half, when Kendra Collins dribbled up the right side and ripped a ball in off the far post. Shannon Pimmel effectively scored the game-winner 10 minutes later, as the Wildcats came out hard after the break.

"Our seniors told us we needed to step up and win balls out of the air," Suther said. "When we were winning the 50-50s, we were dominating the game. That made a huge difference."

"The first half they took it to us," Moreau said. "The second half we wanted to pressure them right away. It was good hustle by Kendra, and a nice shot."

The Wildcats kept the Red Devils in defensive mode to the midway point of the second half before Hinsdale Central pushed numbers forward and began applying good pressure in its attacking third.

"It wasn't a pretty game. We're fortunate to come out with the win," Moreau said. "It's nice to be able to fight, work hard and come out with a win."

Begley applauded the efforts put forth by his back line and attacking players, along with goalkeeper Nicole D'Agostino.

"She played solid again today," Begley said. "She's aggressive, and she can cut a lot of things off out of the back."

-- Gary Larsen

Men's baseball

Waubonsee 7, Kankakee 6 (11 innings):ŒCarlos Rivera's single to center plated Mike Ray for a walk-off win in the 11th.

Waubonsee had to rally, as it trailed 6-3 after six innings. Both Rivera and Justin Oprins went 2-for-5 with a double and a pair of RBI. Jordan Kohler batted 3-for-5 with a solo homer. Derek Kopko threw three scoreless innings in relief for his first collegiate victory.