Libertyville rallies for victory over Hoffman Estates
After a called-third strike ended Saturday's seesaw battle between Hoffman Estates and Libertyville, catcher Jon Lewis rolled the ball back to the mound, where reliever Tyler Schweigert quickly scooped it.
Maybe it was just a natural reaction for an infielder, because Schweigert wasn't keeping the baseball.
"Just put it back in the ball bag," Schweigert, Libertyville's starting shortstop, said matter-of-factly.
Schweigert was deserving of a game ball after helping the host Wildcats rally for an 8-7 win that left both teams with a 1-1 record. Although he got touched for 3 runs after two were out in the seventh (his lone inning of work on the hill), Schweigert led an aggressive offensive effort. The leadoff hitter went 3-for-4 with a double, 2 stolen bases, 2 runs scored and an RBI.
"He was a catalyst for us," said coach Jim Schurr, whose Wildcats trailed 3-0 after 21/2 innings.
On the day, Libertyville stole 5 bases. The Wildcats also had 10 hits, including other doubles from Lewis (2-for-3, RBI) and Lucas Guarnaccio. Sophomore cleanup hitter Joe Eichmann walked three times, while fellow sophomore and No. 5 batter A.J. Schurr (the coach's son) contributed a single and 2 RBI. Adam Quinn had an RBI single, 2 runs scored and 2 walks.
Schweigert nearly had a straight steal of home, too, but was thrown out on a close play that Jim Schurr argued should have been called a balk.
"We're a very fast team," said Schweigert, who doubled on the first pitch he saw leading off bottom of the first. "We got a lot of speed at the top of the order, a lot of good hitters We got a lot of contact hitters."
Hoffman Estates junior Mike Kiviranta suffered the hard-luck loss, allowing 5 runs but only 1 earned in his 42/3 innings.
He also led the Hawks offensively, going 3-for-4 with 3 RBI. Kiviranta's two-out run-scoring double in the first gave the visitors 1-0 lead against Wildcats ace and Eastern Illinois signee Troy Barton. Barton pitched 2 innings, as did fellow Division I recruit Brooks McDowell (Southern Illinois Edwardsville).
Kiviranta exited the mound in the fifth after allowing a two-out, 2-run single to Kevin Johns (2-for-3) on an 0-2 pitch. The hit snapped a 3-3 tie.
"He battled," Jim Schurr said of Johns. "We had a few guys that had some good at-bats, even if they didn't get on. I tell guys, 'If you can go 5, 6, 7 pitches on a guy, even if you end up making an out, you're making him throw more and more pitches. You'll get the starter out of the game.' "
Trailing by 4 with none on in seventh, Hoffman Estates rallied with 3 singles and a walk, before Schweigert recorded the final out with two on, including the tying run at second.
Besides Kiviranta, the Hawks got 2 hits apiece from Justin Harris, Erik Smoy, Chris Fett (double) and Don Rathje (2 RBI). Zach Demmon walked three times and was hit by a pitch.
I told the kids, 'There's a lot you can find out about your character in games like this early on in the year,' " Hoffman Estates coach Todd Meador said. "Certainly it would have been nice to tie or go ahead there, but, hey, you got two outs and nobody on, I'm proud of the way they played. If you got a team that will fight to end, you're going to win a lot of games."