Schaumburg a hit on the road

After the spring his team has endured, Schaumburg baseball coach Paul Groot wasn't sour about a last-minute road trip Friday.

A rain-soaked field at Alexian Field was unplayable, so the Schaumburg Flyers Baseball Classic game with Neuqua Valley was moved to Naperville hours before first pitch Friday afternoon.

No problem for the Saxons, who beat the defending Class AA champion on its home field 11-7.

Schaumburg plays in today's 4 p.m. semifinal at Alexian against Jacobs or Wheaton Warrenville South. They'll resume their Thursday game suspended by rain at 10 a.m. today with Jacobs leading 3-0 in the fifth.

"I had to round up everybody about 2 p.m. today to tell them the game was on," Groot said, "but our kids were ready to play. We've been inside for six weeks -- we haven't even had a practice on our field. Our kids were champing at the bit to play."

Lyons and Joliet Catholic meet in the 1 p.m. semifinal. The title game is at 7 p.m. at Alexian.

Saxons left-hander Andy Brandt (1-0) was in control for 6 innings, scattering 8 hits and allowing 3 runs with 3 strikeouts and just 1 walk.

"That's my thing, throwing strikes," Brandt said. "I put it where I want it to be."

Brandt wasn't overpowering, but he did strand 8 Neuqua Valley baserunners and picked off another.

"He threw his second and third pitch for a strike," Neuqua Valley coach Robin Renner said. "In high school if you do that you don't have to throw hard."

Neuqua Valley starter Jason David (0-1) held Schaumburg hitless with just an unearned run through 3 innings. But the Saxons (2-0) busted out in the fourth.

Mike Mistrata poked an opposite-field single to left to lead off, and George Kalousek drilled his second homer over the fence in center field.

Dave Compitello later ripped a 2-strike RBI single to center, and Steve Mahler finished off the inning with a 2-out, 2-run double over the third base bag to make it 6-0.

"It was huge, getting out in front on a good club," Groot said. "We knew we'd have our hands full coming over here."

Down 11-3 heading into the seventh, the Wildcats (2-2) rallied for 4 runs and had the tying run in the on-deck circle before Schaumburg's Kyle Pusateri relieved to retire the final two outs.

St. Viator 4, Conant 1: St. Viator hasn't had a run this good in five years.

And the Lions' running game led to their fifth straight win as they stole 5 bases in a 4-1 nonconference win over visiting Conant on Friday.

"(Coach Mike) Manno has us being real aggressive and forcing other teams to make plays," said Viator senior center fielder Shane Owens. "That's what's going to win us ballgames."

Steals played a part in all of the runs and left-hander Alec Simpson and Mike Bordes combined on a 3-hitter as the Lions (5-1) continued their longest streak since winning 6 straight en route to a 2003 regional title.

"We've talked about it all year that we like to run," Manno said. "We know if we get guys on we have to make things happen with our legs."

The Lions did against Conant (0-2) righty Chris Hoffman, who allowed 3 hits with 7 strikeouts in 4 innings.

Eric Walantas walks and steals led to Owens' tying RBI groundout in the second and tiebreaking single through a drawn-in infield in the fourth.

Sean Folan then sacrificed and Owens stole third and scored on a bad throw.

"The main thing bringing us success right now is everyone is stepping up in the order," Owens said.

A triple by Jack Meyer, a walk and steal by Owens and an RBI single by Folan made it 4-1 in the sixth.

"Walks, walks, that's it," Conant coach Jerry Song of what led to 4 of its 6 runs allowed in losses. "There's a lot of intangible stuff we can fix."

The only run Simpson allowed in 6-plus innings was unearned on Conant catcher Otto Linderman's second-inning sacrifice fly.

Simpson threw 52 of his 87 pitches for strikes. He got a big boost in the first when he struck out Bill Charvat and Nick Skala threw out Bobby Colucci (2-for-4) at third.

"It was definitely a boost for the offense and defense," Simpson said. "To come out with no runs -- with first and second I was just hoping to get out with one or maybe two."

Simpson (1-0) came out on a 2-0 count after a walk and Bordes saved it with 3 straight full-count strikeouts.

"For 'Simps' to get that deep in the game was awesome," Owens said. "And Bordes, that was clutch."

-- Marty Maciaszek

Elk Grove 4, Maine East 1: Chris D'Angelo had 13 strikeouts and allowed only 3 hits and 3 walks in 6½ innings for Elk Grove (2-4) in the nonconference win. Bryan Bathauer went 2-for-3 and drove in runs with a two-out bunt single in the second and a double in the sixth.

Hersey 10, Niles North 3: Hersey (4-2) made the most of 4 hits and overcame 5 errors as Dan Kelley had 8 strikeouts and 2 walks in the 5-inning nonconference win. Kevin Polinski and Andy Long had bases-clearing doubles.

Leyden 14, Proviso W. 0: Junior Cavada threw a 2-hitter with 4 strikeouts and 2 walks as Leyden (2-0) to the West Suburban crossover with an 11-run first. Cam Stephens and Joe Natale each went 2-for-3.

C-G 17, Barrington 7: Cary-Grove (7-0) kept rolling in a game suspended by rain Thursday, adding 2 runs to complete an 11-run fourth and beat Barrington (4-1) in 6 innings.

Prospect 7, Glenbrook N. 7: Prospect ended with its second straight 7-inning tie ended by darkness as visiting Glenbrook North rallied from a 5-0 deficit and tied it with a 2-run seventh. Tim Scanlan was 2-for-3 with an RBI for the Knights.