Schaumburg 4, Barrington 1

Schaumburg unleashed its offensive thunder just in time in Wednesday's Mid-Suburban West baseball showdown with Barrington.

The Saxons' George Kalousek and the Broncos' Tom Unak were locked in a pitcher's duel for 5½ innings in a game moved from Alexian Field to Barrington's Kirby Smith Field because of field conditions.

Storm clouds were also moving in with Schaumburg getting ready to hit as the designated home team since it already played at Barrington earlier this year.

Then a pair of back-to-back lightning strikes -- a 2-run homer by catcher Dominick D'Agata and a homer by Mike Mistrata -- helped Schaumburg beat Barrington and a downpour 4-1 in a game called after 6 innings.

"With a 1-1 game in the sixth we were just trying to get a couple of runs across," D'Agata said. "We were fortunate enough to do that."

After a 30-minute wait with rain still falling, the umpires called it, putting defending MSL champion Schaumburg (16-5, 10-3) in a 2-game division lead on Barrington (13-10, 8-5) with 3 games to play.

Fremd (12-6, 7-5) and Hoffman Estates were postponed because of unplayable field conditions.

"We definitely knew this was the big game of the week and next week, too," D'Agata said. "This is the team we wanted to get. With three to go it looks OK as long as we keep playing the way we are."

The Saxons may look even better for the long haul if Kalousek (5-2) keeps pitching the way he did Wednesday.

The senior right-hander scattered 5 hits, had 4 strikeouts and 1 of his 2 walks was intentional as 45 of his 72 pitches went for strikes in his longest outing of the spring.

"The first 4 innings his breaking ball was snapping," said Schaumburg coach Paul Groot.

"That was the best I've seen him (this year)," D'Agata said. "His fastball had life and his curve was probably the best I've seen it all year."

Kalousek thrived in a tension-filled, big-game situation where one mistake could have been costly.

"I didn't let it get to my head and went out and pitched like I usually do," Kalousek said. "The pressure was on them.

"They're a good team and the last few games I've pitched we've been up by 10 in the fifth inning. It was exciting."

D'Agata gave Schaumburg the lead with a two-out RBI single in the third and preserved it by picking off a runner at second on a missed bunt attempt in the fourth.

Barrington tied it in the fifth on Steve Janezic's double and pinch hitter Manny Alvarado's two-out RBI single. But Kalousek left runners at first and second in the sixth.

Unak (4-3) had retired 7 straight hitters when Dave Compitello just beat out a grounder up the middle on an excellent stop by shortstop Tim Conroy. That brought up D'Agata.

"He wasn't bunting," Groot said with a laugh of his Purdue-bound No. 2 hitter.

The lefty-hitting D'Agata lined a first-pitch fastball over the fence in right-center for his sixth homer. Two pitches later Mistrata lined his sixth homer to nearly the same spot.

"The first couple of innings he had us off-balance with curves and changeups," D'Agata said of Unak.

"I was real happy with Tommy's approach," said Barrington coach Jim Hawrysko. "He did a great job of keeping them off-balance."

East co-leader Prospect (12-10, 8-4) was trailing 5-4 with one out and two runners on in the bottom of the fifth at Hersey when the lightning detector sounded. The game was called and will be replayed in its entirety today.

Rolling Meadows (12-7, 8-4) and Elk Grove were postponed and will play Saturday. Elk Grove has a makeup game with Conant today.

Conant and Palatine were also postponed.

Wheeling 5, BG 2: Sayer Jackson (1-4) rebounded from a tough relief loss to Schaumburg on Tuesday by scattering 6 hits for Wheeling (5-10, 5-7) in the MSL East game called after 5 innings because of rain.

"He was anxious to get back out there and it was a great win for him," said Wheeling coach Mike Tice.

Anthony Ricciardi went 2-for-2 with 2 RBI as the Wildcats swept the regular-season series from Buffalo Grove (8-11, 4-9). They meet again in a Class 4A regional quarterfinal on May 20.

Jon Moore was 2-for-2 for the Bison.