Smith's hitting, pitching lift WW South
The conditions weren't prime and neither was the fielding. Yet Wheaton Warrenville South and Hinsdale South each took positives from their season opener, a 7-5 WW South nonconference win.
"Overall we put the ball in play, made them throw it around, and on a day like today that's what you need to do," Tigers coach Tim Brylka said of howling gales, rain and 12 errors.
WW South senior Steve Smith scored 2 runs, drove in 2, had 2 hits, and after relieving starting pitcher Rob Grabek in the fourth inning, earned the win.
"It's rainy, it's messy the first game," Smith said. "Nothing's going to come easy, so you've just got to keep trying to throw it towards the plate and hope your fielders make plays."
WW South made enough, starting in the first inning with right fielder Mike Olp throwing to first baseman Ryan Conley to catcher Jon O'Neill to cut down Hinsdale South's Jay McGowan.
An inning later WW South took a 3-0 lead against Hinsdale South starter Matt Perez without hitting the ball through the infield. The Hornets answered with a run in the third then tied the score 3-3 in the fourth on catcher Mike Prosia's smash single to score Adam Schwarz and Ryan Mesina.
Prosia went 2-for-2 with a base on balls and tagged out two Tigers at the plate.
"It was real fun to get out here, a good way to start the season," Prosia said. "We had some positives that we can always work off of."
The Tigers touched Hornets right-hander Jeff Pomykala for 2 unearned runs in the bottom of the fourth to reclaim the lead at 5-3, but Hinsdale South rallied within a run on Connor Duckhorn's sacrifice fly to score McGowan.
In the Tigers' fifth, runners were on second and third with one out when Smith drilled a fastball just inside third base for a 7-4 lead.
"I got a pitch that was there and I hacked. Luckily it found a hole," Smith said.
Up 7-5 in the seventh, Smith gave up the game's sole double, to Duckhorn. O'Brien cut down the senior trying to steal. After a flyout Hornets reached on a walk and an error. Neil Johnston tracked down a deep fly to left field to end it.
"It was a sloppy day and a sloppy game, there were a lot of errors on both sides," said Hinsdale South coach Kraig Conyer. "But we saw some good things today. The kids competed, came back a couple times when we were down, and we had an opportunity in the seventh. That's all you can ask for."