Larkin scores win vs. defending state champs
Larkin's baseball team recorded a 5-4 Upstate Eight Conference win over defending Class A state champion Neuqua Valley Saturday, before dropping the back end of the doubleheader 18-3 in Elgin.
Tyler Shore (6-2) earned the Game 1 victory as the Royals overcame a 4-1 deficit by rallying for 4 runs in the bottom of the seventh.
Neuqua Valley issued the Royals 4 walks in the seventh. With the game tied and the bases loaded, Cam Kinley chopped a swinging bunt down the third base line and hustled to beat the throw to first base as Justin Kalusa crossed the plate with the game-winning run.
"The nice thing is we scored 4 runs in the inning without ever hitting a ball out of the infield," Larkin coach Doug Ellett said. "Kinley took that mighty swing and it went about 20 feet down the third-base line. I told him someday when he has kids he can tell them about the screaming line drive he hit to left field to beat the state champs.
"But a win like this gives them the confidence they can play and beat a real good team. That's a good thing at this time of year."
SCN sweeps Elgin: With what the crazy weather this spring season has brought, St. Charles North ace Danny Jimenez has seen a lot of things on the mound.
Saturday was a first.
Jimenez took a no hitter into the fourth inning against Elgin before Dan Schmerber singled with one out. That was the only hit Jimenez surrendered as he improved to 5-1 with a 9-strikeout performance in the North Stars' 14-0 victory in 5 innings.
Elgin's bats got a little hotter in Game 2 of the Upstate Eight Conference doubleheader, but again North was on a roll sweeping the doubleheader with a 9-1 victory.
Jimenez set the tone for the day striking out 8 of Elgin's first 9 batters in Game 1.
"I just tried to get ahead of every batter," Jimenez said. "The strikeouts in the beginning always get you going. It keeps you going through the game."
North (18-7, 14-5) also kept the bats going all game.
After taking a 2-0 lead into the third, the North Stars tattooed Elgin starter Isaac Serna (0-5) for 5 runs. Ryan Johnson jacked a 2-run home run and Brian de la Torriente and Brandon Nothnagel each had RBI singles.
De la Torriente (2 for 3, 3 RBI, 2 runs) nailed a 2-run double in the fourth and Johnson scored de la Torriente with an RBI double as North extended its lead to 12-0 after four.
Johnson finished the day going 3-for-6 with 2 home runs and 6 RBI. De la Torriente was 4 for 6 with 2 doubles, 3 RBI and 3 runs scored. North finished with 9 extra base hits and 29 total hits.
"Extra base hits can be contagious," North coach Todd Genke said. "A couple of guys get them and it seems the balls are flying all over the field."
Elgin (5-18, 5-17) caught a little of the extra-base fever in Game 2 as well.
Adam Jazweic nailed a pair of doubles, the second leading to the Maroons' lone run of the day in the bottom of the fourth.
After finishing with just 1 hit in Game 1, the Maroons, who were hitting around .215 as a team entering Saturday, finished with 5 hits against Game 2 winner Dan Mettler (2-0).
"We did a better job putting the bat on the ball," Jazweic said of the Maroons' Game 2 hitting efforts. "We got a couple of hits."
Despite getting hits, Elgin struggled to string them together, which left 6 runners stranded in the game, including 4 in scoring position.
"Jiminez was tough in the first game," Elgin coach David Foerester said. "You have to out the ball in play to win. It's good that our attitude was a lot better in Game 2."
Kevin Borst had a 2-run single in the fifth and Johnson nailed a 2-run home run in the second for the North Stars in Game 2. Mike Stackowiak (0-4) took the loss for Elgin.
-- Matt Stacionis