Bizarre spring has its share of bizarre games

No bats were thrown into a shower filled with stunned players the way they were by fictional manager Joe Riggins in a memorable scene from the classic baseball movie "Bull Durham."

But coaches Ross Giusti of Prospect and John Wendell of Buffalo Grove echoed some of Riggins' sentiments after Prospect slogged past BG 11-10 in last Friday's Mid-Suburban East matchup.

This has been a bizarre spring where some teams still hadn't practiced on their fields through last week. But Giusti and Wendell said problems with pitchers' control and defense shouldn't be issues any more.

"By now we're fine and there's no excuse whatsoever other than ourselves," Wendell said after his team had 12 of the 18 walks and 3 of the 5 errors against Prospect. "You've got to throw the ball over the plate and get it done. You've got to throw it and catch it."

It took winning ugly to new proportions.

"Both teams were just struggling to pick up the ball and make plays and pitch strikes," Giusti said. "There are no excuses at this point to have some type of rhythm on the field.

"It comes down to communication … and catching and throwing the ball."

Sixteen teams scored in double figures in league games during the first five-game round of division play. Last season, just 21 teams scored in double figures through the entire 96-game MSL schedule.

But Monday saw five tight pitchers' duels with two games decided by a run and three by 2 runs. Maybe it's a trend with improving weather finally allowing for consistent play and time outside rather than in a gym.

"Everything is a learning process and we'll be better," Wendell said.

Leading the East: About four games into the season Prospect coach Ross Giusti moved sophomore John Coen into the leadoff spot.

And the Knights shot into the lead in the MSL East by winning their first 6 games.

Coen is hitting .321 with 9 walks, 9 steals and 15 runs.

"He's really ignited our offense," Giusti said. "He's just a big-time sparkplug and a prototypical leadoff man."

And the Knights also have a second leadoff man with sophomore Miles Osei (.347, 17 runs) hitting ninth.

"They're a great 1-2 punch," Giusti said. "It allows Miles to get some good quality at-bats down in the lineup."

Coen and junior pitcher Steve Latos, who improved to 3-0 after beating BG, had mixed opinions on Prospect's start.

"I knew with our pitching we'd be solid with our top three guys," Coen said.

"I'm a little bit (surprised) because I knew we'd get everyone's best effort," Latos said of going 14-2 last year.

The pitcher who has stepped up the most for Prospect is senior lefty Dominic Pugliese. He is 3-0 with a 2.13 ERA and 14 strikeouts and 7 walks in 23 innings.

"He's getting ahead in the count and he's been able to throw all his pitches over," Giusti said. "He gets a lot of ground balls and has command of at least two pitches. He's been terrific with is command his last three outings."

A wild ride: Fremd's recent MSL fortunes were more volatile than the stock market.

Last Thursday its stock rose significantly with a 6-3 MSL West win at Schaumburg.

Then it went to a free fall with losses to Palatine and Elk Grove and a 5-run deficit to Hoffman Estates.

But the Vikings hope they achieved a market correction with their 8-6 comeback win in 8 innings over the Hawks.

"At the beginning of the season we had some young pitchers trying to prove themselves in the MSL," said Fremd shortstop Ryan Shober, who ended the Hoffman win with a 2-run homer. "We got the win against Schaumburg and it was a big win to get us going.

"We feel we're in every game but it's a matter of closing things out. We can definitely use this game to hopefully give us a little energy back."

Junior lefty Matt Johnsen has been closing the deal for the Vikings. The only baserunner he allowed in 3¿ relief innings for wins over Schaumburg and Hoffman was an infield single he erased with a pickoff.

"He's been very reliable for us coming out of the pen," said Fremd coach Chris Piggott. "He's done the job every time he's gotten the ball. He has a lot of confidence coming in and challenges hitters and throws strikes."

Rolling along: One of Rolling Meadows coach Jim Lindeman's big preseason concerns was defense.

But it was one of the big reasons the Mustangs extended their winning streak to 5 games as junior Ted Metzger stopped Schaumburg 2-1 on Monday.

"We did a lot of good things defensively we haven't been doing all year," Lindeman said after the Mustangs backed Metzger with flawless defense.

"Throughout the year we've had a whole lot of struggles fielding," said catcher Ben Sabal of Meadows' 31 errors the first 10 games. "(Monday) was nice for everybody to show we can come out and make some plays."

Sabal had also started to hit his stride offensively before Monday's game-winning homer. That could make the Mustangs even more formidable offensively behind No. 3 hitter Kyle Gaedele (.438, 4 homers, 13 RBI) and Jon Carlson (.389, 10 RBI).

"Ben's been hitting the ball better lately," Lindeman said. "He's the kind of a guy who puts a pretty good swing on it and sometimes you wonder why he doesn't hit more homers."

More wacky wildness: A few more bits and pieces from the MSL's highest scoring game in 11 years when Hoffman beat Conant 18-17.

• A whopping 339 pitches were thrown by five pitchers -- only 55 percent (187) for strikes. Not a good mix with a wind howling out to right at nearly 40 mph.

But Hoffman's Jake Fett recovered from giving up 5 walks and 8 runs in his first 2 relief innings to allow 1 run the last 3 innings for the win.

"I kept telling our pitchers you're going to have to cut your losses," said Hoffman coach Todd Meador.

"At the beginning I was trying not to put it in the strike zone," Fett said. "I was trying to get around the strike zone and make them chase it and it didn't work out too well.

"I started bearing down, throwing strikes and hitting corners."

• Conant's first seven batters got hits -- as many as Hoffman had the entire game.

But Hoffman had only 2 hits en route to a 12-11 lead. The first was sophomore Chris Fett's first varsity homer -- a grand slam off Conant ace Austin Wright.

"I knew a fastball was coming," Fett said. "I thought it was a high popup and I didn't think it would go out.

"I kept on looking and it kept on going and going. It was out and I went, 'Wow.'"

Wright went 2-plus innings. All of his outs were strikeouts.

Loh-down on safety: All major-league first- and third-base coaches are required to wear helmets after minor league coach Mike Coolbaugh was hit in the head with a line drive and killed.

The IHSA has not made helmets required for coaches on the bases. But Hoffman assistant Steve Loh, who coaches first base, is wearing one without earflaps.

Loh said the only other coach he's seen wearing a helmet was a Naperville Central assistant who put one on during their game.

Loh said he's never been hit with a foul ball. He said spending part of his time with his concentration on baserunners and being in a non-athletic position were reasons for using the helmet.

"I did it on my own and figured it would be a good idea," Loh said.

Closing statement: Junior Josh Daniels wasn't a big part of Elk Grove's preseason pitching plans.

But he's become vital at crucial times such as Monday, when he left the tying runs at second and third with two outs in the fifth and went on to save a 5-3 win over Fremd.

"He's come out of nowhere," said Elk Grove coach Terry Beyna. "He's our best guy at throwing strikes.

"He just changes speeds. He isn't going to light up any radar guns at all, but he really can pitch and he's a great kid."

Squeeze plays: Future Valparaiso teammates Ryan Shober of Fremd and Kyle Gaedele of Rolling Meadows will square off in an MSL crossover Monday. Valpo coach and former big leaguer Tracy Woodson is expected to be at the game … According to USA Today, Union set an Indiana state record for runs in an inning and game with a 31-run first and a 53-0 romp in five innings over Eminence … Also in USA Today, a high school team in Tokyo forfeited a game after allowing 66 runs in less than two innings … Class 4A sectional seeding meetings are Wednesday with area teams at Lake Zurich, Larkin and Niles West.