Big innings leading to big things for Maine West

A lot of big innings are adding up to a nice beginning to the Maine West baseball season.

The Warriors stuck with their formula Wednesday as a 4-run first, 7-run third and 6-run fifth led to a 17-5 nonconference win in five innings at Hoffman Estates.

"Our whole team gets up and cheers each other on," said Maine West senior first baseman Steve Zimmerman, who capped the opening outburst with a 3-run homer to right field. "We get up to the plate with a plan and focus on what we have to do. The rest falls into place from there."

The Warriors (7-2) scored in double figures for the sixth time in a victory with a combination of 11 hits, 9 walks and 5 errors by Hoffman (1-9). They had five innings where they scored 4 or more runs in a pair of wins Saturday.

Zimmerman also had a single to load the bases in the third and drew a bases-loaded walk in the fifth.

"It's hard to put it on one thing," said Maine West coach Joe Pederson of the big innings. "Driving the ball to the opposite field, we try to do that at times. Sometimes it's about luck, to be honest.

"I tell our kids you have to execute. It's all about little things like hitting to the right side and moving runners."

Ryan Tuntland had an RBI single in the first. Frank Hess had a 2-run single and Connor Skoczynski and Lucas Udischas had RBI singles in the third.

The Warriors put it away in the fifth as Skoczynski and Justin Johann had RBI singles and Kane Hernandez and Tuntland had bases-loaded walks.

Zimmerman, who missed the first six games with a back injury, provided the early cushion for sophomore Josh Wright with his two-out blast down the right-field line.

"It didn't even cross my mind at first," Zimmerman said of his first homer. "I thought it was a blooper but the wind played its part and took it over."

Maine West center fielder and leadoff sparkplug Tommy Ross also kept a 3-run Hoffman fourth from getting bigger with a spectacular over-the-shoulder diving grab in right-center to rob Mike Eisele.

Mike Norman had an RBI double and freshman Kevin Gradzinski had a single and an RBI groundout in his second varsity game for Hoffman.

"We've showed positive signs in all areas - but to go from competitive to winning we have to become better at the little things," said Hoffman coach Todd Meador after his team's ninth straight loss. "The challenge we have right now is putting together those things for all seven innings."

Prospect 6, Glenbard East 3: Junior John Coen didn't allow an earned run and needed only 82 pitches in a complete-game nonconference victory for Prospect (3-5). Coen had 7 strikeouts and no walks.

Alex Zavacki and Tom Longpre had 2 hits and an RBI.

Barrington 5, Notre Dame 4: Robby McDonnell (2-1) pitched 6 strong innings and Sean Buchholz left the tying run at third with 2 strikeouts to save the nonconference road win for Barrington (4-2).

McDonnell scattered 5 hits and had 10 strikeouts and 1 walk. Johnny Day was 2-for-4 with an RBI and Anthony Brignola and Jack Scheffler had RBI doubles.

Schaumburg 5, Glenbrook South 3: Kyle Meyer improved to 4-0 by tossing a complete game as the host Saxons won the nonconference game.

Meyer allowed 9 hits but walked none and struck out five. Mike Mistrata doubled and drove in a run, Joe Infusino went 2-for-3 with 2 singles and Eric Englund went 1-for-3 with an RBI for the Saxons (6-1).

Fremd 12, Glenbard North 2: Clynt Terry threw a 1-hitter with 5 strikeouts and 1 walk for Fremd (3-4) in the five-inning nonconference win.

Todd Dunham went 3-for-3 with 2 doubles and 2 steals and Mike Tauchman homered. Eric Paulsen (3 RBI), Zenon Kolakowski (2 RBI) and Tyler Gregory each had 2 hits.

Loyola 9, Hersey 7: Hersey (4-4) rallied from a 6-0 deficit but Loyola broke a 7-7 tie in the top of the seventh of the nonconference game.

Jake Knauss had a 3-run double in the third and Steve Danielak had 2 hits for Hersey.

Lake Park 3, Conant 1: Joe Belmonte drove in a first-inning run for Conant (6-3) in the nonconference loss.

Elmwood Park 5, St. Viator 2: Cory Kay doubled and tripled for St. Viator (4-4) in the nonconference road loss.