Snyder: 'simply outstanding'

Not even the cold and wind could affect Grayslake Central ace Aaron Snyder.

The junior right-hander pitched a complete-game 6-hitter in the Rams' 4-1 win over host Vernon Hills in nonconference baseball action Saturday.

It was Snyder's fourth win.

"Aaron was simply outstanding today," Central coach Troy Whalen said. "He pitched ahead and really battled through some adverse-weather conditions. He keeps getting better every game."

Josh DeAngelis and Kurt Schmidt provided the offense for Grayslake Central (13-5). DeAngelis doubled and had a clutch 2-strike suicide squeeze. While Schmidt had a 2-run single in the top of the fifth that put the Rams up 2-1.

"Kurt and Josh were both clutch at the right time," Whalen said. "We didn't get much offense today and that needs to improve."

Vernon Hills' Nick Mazza made his first start on the mound and did well, allowing only 2 earned runs in 5 innings. He struck out nine and walked four.

Mason Hezner was 2-for-4 and knocked in the Cougars' lone run. Zack Freibrun had a double.

Lake Zurich 7, Conant 6: Steve Cleary cleared the bases with a grand slam, and Mike Miller had a swinging bunt.

The Bears needed both to defeat the visiting Cougars in the nonconference game.

Cleary's slam put Lake Zurich (14-5) up 5-0 in the third and the Bears went up 6-0 in the fourth, but Conant battled back. The Cougars scored four in the fifth, and got solo homers in the sixth and seventh to pull even.

In the bottom of the seventh, Reid Bergstrom led off with a single. One out later, Joey DeBernardis doubled. Bergstrom then scored on Miller's infield grounder.

Both Cleary (double) and DeBernardis finished 2-for-3.

Ryan Morrill worked the top of the seventh to earn the win and improve to 3-0.

Antioch sweeps Grayslake North: In two close games, Antioch's Jim Fracek came up big in each one.

Fracek finished with 5 hits on the day in Antioch's 6-5, 14-13 doubleheader sweep in nonconference action.

In the first game, Fracek hit a home run, drove in 3 runs and finished a perfect 3-for-3.

The Sequoits, who jumped out to a 6-0 lead through the fourth inning and watched nervously as Grayslake North clawed back, also got 2 hits from Logan Kent.

Meanwhile, Antioch pitcher Ken Karagiorgas racked up 10 strikeouts and got the win.

In the second game, Antioch (8-7) outlasted the Knights thanks in part to a 6-run fifth inning and 17 total hits.

Grayslake North had a total of 10 hits.

The Sequoits got 3 hits each from Andy Danna and Gage Ecklund and 2 hits from Fracek and Jeff Baird.

Baird also got the win on the mound to move to 2-1 on the season.

Carmel sweeps Nazareth: Kevin Hendricks homered in Game 1, as the Corsairs won 14-4 in five innings.

Jeff Moree earned the complete-game victory in Game 2, as Carmel won 9-4 to improve to 14-2 overall and 5-2 in the East Suburban Catholic Conference.

Mundelein 14, Wheeling 2: A 9-run fourth inning and a total of 10 hits helped Mundelein (17-2) get the nonconference win.

The Mustangs got 2 hits apiece from Brad Medina, Colton Tortorello and Jack Walliser.

Both of Medina's hits were doubles. Tortorello and Walliser each had a double as well.

Ian McDermott earned the win on the mound for the Mustangs.

Lakes 16, Lake Forest Academy 1: Pitcher Travis VanderWall gave up just 1 hit while his teammates rolled up hit after hit in the Eagles big nonconference victory.

Lakes (10-7) tallied 17 hits, including 3 from Eric Lopez and Andrew Highland, both of whom went 3-for-3.

Lopez had 2 doubles and drove in 5 runs.

Trey Williams also had a solid day at the plate for the Eagles. He went 2-for-3 with 2 RBI.

VanderWall registered 5 strikeouts. He moves to 2-2 on the mound.

Softball

Vernon Hills sweeps Marengo: An exhilarating 5-run binge in the bottom of the seventh inning of the second game of a doubleheader rallied Vernon Hills and capped off a victorious day.

Vernon Hills swept Marengo, 3-2, 10-7.

Down to their final at-bat in the second game, the Cougars were trailing 7-5. They managed to tie the game on a double by pitcher Charlotte Hoffmann.

That's when Anna Christensen went to work.

With 2 outs, two runners on and a 2-2 count, she belted a 3-run walk-off homer to win the game.

Hoffmann and Alyssa Dougherty both finished with 3 hits and Christensen and Anastasia Guletsky each had 2 hits.

Hoffman pitched the final five innings and rolled up 5 strikeouts.

In the first game, the Cougars (17-3) scored 3 runs in the fifth inning to again rally for the victory.

Marengo was up 1-0 through four innings.

Megan Kubacki had 2 hits for the Cougars. Meanwhile, pitcher Marci Pasquesi walked just 1 batter to improve to 2-2.

Libertyville, McHenry split: Libertyville won a close game (6-4) and lost a close game (5-4) in a nonconference split.

In the first game, the Wildcats rebounded from a 4-0 deficit through three innings.

In the sixth inning, Katie Larson drove in Amanda Pecucci to tie the game with two outs. Then in the seventh, Toni Kintzel drove in the winning run.

Kintzel went 2-for-4, as did Ali Haws.

In the second game, Libertyville (10-8) again fell behind, but didn't have quite enough to complete another rally.

Down 5-1 through five innings, the Wildcats scored 3 runs in the sixth inning to get close.

Kintzel again went 2-for-4. Pecucci did as well.

Jacobs 6, Lake Zurich 4: Jacobs scored 3 runs in the seventh inning to rally from a 1-run deficit and steal a victory on the road.

Ella Aslan (4-for-4) had 2 doubles and Brittany Stezskal added another for the Bears.

Alex Block had 2 hits and pitcher Katie Buczynski pitched the first six innings and rolled up 11 strikeouts for the Bears.

Grayslake North goes 0-3: Grayslake North had a rough day at the Buffalo Grove Invite, losing to Loyola Academy (7-4), Buffalo Grove (8-2) and Antioch (18-12).

Against Loyola, Sam Myers and Jamie Breitweiser each had 2 hits.

One of Breitweiser's hits was a double. Carly Borders also added a double.

Six errors hindered the Knights.

Against Buffalo Grove, North fell behind 5-0 by the second inning and couldn't recover.

It didn't help that the Knights had 4 errors and Buffalo Grove was error-free.

Kelly Noesen was a bright spot for Grayslake North. She went 2-for-2. Meanwhile, Breitweiser added a double and Amanda Leon had a triple.

In a hit-fest against Antioch, the two teams combined to pound out a total of 36 hits.

Breitweiser had 4 (4-for-4) of North's 17 hits while Leon added 2 hits, both doubles.

Borders homered for the Knights, who dropped to 6-11 overall.

Girls soccer

Crystal Lake Central Invite: Lakes came up just short in the championship game, losing to host Crystal Lake Central 2-1.

The Eagles were trailing 2-0 at halftime but found some life when Alex Neal scored in the second half.

To get to the championship game, Lakes (9-7) defeated Glenbard North 3-0. Lakes got goals from Ashley Chernich, Emily Mason and Neal.

Carmel 8, Bishop McNamara 0: The Corsairs jumped out to a 6-0 halftime lead and didn't look back.

Carmel got 3 goals from Sara Petermann, a goal and an assist from Kassidy Brown and 2 assists from Maddie Ogrinc.

Boys volleyball

At Glenbrook North: Vernon Hills went 1-4 on the day.

The Cougars defeated Carmel (25-23, 26-24) but lost to St. Charles North (25-22, 25-20), Lincoln-Way East (25-23, 25-15), Glenbrook North (25-15, 25-14) and Libertyville (17-25, 25-21, 25-12).

Ernie Choi, Dave Siegel and Herman Lynn led Vernon Hills with 25, 23 and 22 kills, respectively.

Alex Tartakovsky added 17 kills and Keegan Harris finished with 12.

Lynn and Tartakovsky also came up big on defense with 9 and 6 blocks, respectively.

Meanwhile, Jeff Achler racked up a team-high 51 digs.

Setter Sam Lee finished with 93 assists.

At Benet: Mundelein had a rough day, losing all five of its tournament matches.

The Mustangs lost to Neuqua Valley (16-25, 12-25), Morton (25-23, 14-25, 9-15), St. Francis (14-25, 13-25), Waubonsie Valley (23-25, 26-24, 22-25) and Morton again (22-25, 18-25).

Mundelein (9-18) was led by John McElligott, Mitchell Baumgartner and Nick Faghihi, who tallied 28, 26, and 21 kills, respectively.

Tyler Emde had 28 digs and Baumgartner added 27.

Setter Tim Tokarz finished with 80 assists.

Boys tennis

Lakes Invitational: It was home, sweet perfect home for Lakes.

Lakes won every singles match it played in its own tournament on Saturday, dominating a field of eight teams.

Warren took second place while Grant and Grayslake North took fourth and fifth place, respectively.

Andrew Yopp of Lakes earned first place in No. 1 singles, ahead of second-place Eric Teeman of Warren and third-place Alex Marginean of Grant.

Lakes' Randall Haylock won No. 2 singles while the Lakes doubles teams of Charlie Scupham/Justin Shea, Timmy David/Joey Davis and Andre Skula/Andrew Flick won the No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 brackets, respectively.

Glenbrook South Invite: Libertyville went 1-2 on the day, getting its lone win against Maine South, 5-0.

The Wildcats lost close matches to Loyola (3-2) and Evanston (3-2).

Against Maine South, Erik Scanlan wont he No. 1 singles match in straight sets.

And the No. 1 doubles team of Tyler Chaitoff and Dean Leventis won in straight sets.

In fact, all of Libertyville's wins against Maine South came in straight sets.

No. 2 singles player Alex Leventis went 3-0 on the day. He also had straight set victories over Loyola and Evanston.