Wijas' 14 K gold as Conant tops Elk Grove

Conant knows it usually doesn't need a lot of offense when Walt Wijas is pitching.

Through 41/3 innings Monday, however, the Cougars were still looking for their first hit in a tense Mid-Suburban League crossover baseball duel between Elk Grove junior Kyle Pfister and Wijas.

Then Conant senior second baseman Bobby Colucci delivered a big shot with his first homer of the year. It appeared almost insurmountable the way the Kentucky-bound Wijas was throwing.

Only a third-inning infield single kept the senior right-hander from a perfect game as he finished with a career-high 14 strikeouts in an 11-0 victory moved to Conant (13-5, 5-1) because of field conditions at Elk Grove (15-8, 2-4).

"I was really hoping to pitch," Wijas said of a day with a shaky weather forecast. "All of my pitches (fastball, slider, changeup) were working today.

"I had a little bounce in my step and a lot more energy (than a 5-3 loss last Wednesday to Fremd)."

Wijas threw 65 of his 86 pitches for strikes in his third shutout and sixth for Conant. Eight of his 8 called strikeouts were called - four in a stretch of seven in a row - as he went to a 3-ball count on only one hitter.

"It isn't hard to win a ballgame with Walt on the mound," said Colucci, who also had a booming 2-run double to center in a 7-run sixth.

"He was ready to go," said Conant coach Jerry Song. "Sometimes you can feel it and sense it with the way he looks. He said, 'Hey coach, I'm ready to go.'"

Speedy Elk Grove sophomore Carl Sugihara easily beat out a chopper over Wijas' head with two out in the third.

Wijas (4-2) was the latest in a succession of tough pitchers the Grenadiers have faced in four straight MSL losses. That included 13 strikeouts in 42/3 innings Thursday against Wijas' future college teammate Jon Carlson of Rolling Meadows.

"On both days they not only had Division I fastballs but other pitches working for them," said Elk Grove coach Terry Beyna, "which makes it extremely difficult.

"If anybody thought 'huh,' when they signed, I think both of them have proven they're worthy to pitch there."

Pfister was matching Wijas as the righty retired 13 in a row after a leadoff walk. This was against a Conant team which set school records of 21 runs in a game Friday against Hoffman Estates and 15 in an inning Saturday against Maine East.

Then the lefty-hitting Colucci lined a 2-0 fastball over the fence in left.

"Bobby's homer sparked everybody," Song said.

"I was looking for a fastball and it felt good when I hit it," Colucci said. "He was throwing a lot of off-speed pitches in counts we didn't expect him to."

Pfister should have had a 1-2-3 sixth but 2 errors set up Conant's big inning that included 4 opposite field singles. Nate Rahn drove in 2 runs and Joe Belmonte, Otto Linderman and Sean Smith drove in runs.

Mario Morrone had a 2-run single in the seventh to give the Cougars 50 runs in three games and keep them tied for the West lead with Fremd.

"We just turned it on," Colucci said. "When we start hitting like that it's pretty hard to stop us."

Barrington 10, BG 9: Barrington (11-6, 4-2) hit 3 homers but played small ball to score the winning run in the top of the eighth of the MSL crossover that was moved from BG (7-10, 2-4) because of field conditions.

Anthony Brignola capped a 4-for-4 day with 2 doubles and his sixth homer by starting the eighth with a bunt single. Tim Oakley sacrificed and with two outs, Chris Holke had an RBI single to finish 3-for-5 with a homer and 4 RBI.

Jack Scheffler also homered and winner Sean Buchholz and Tyler Tureck combined for 31/3 innings of shutout relief.

Matt Stadler went 4-for-5, J.P. Kulick had 3 RBI and Kyle Browne had 7 strikeouts in 6 innings of relief for BG.

Hoffman 5, Prospect 4: Chris Fett and Zach Demmon hit first-inning homers and Mike Kiviranta left the tying run at third with a strikeout to end the MSL crossover win for Hoffman Estates (7-13, 3-3).

Kiviranta went the distance with 5 strikeouts and 2 walks. Fett (3-for-4) started the game with a homer and had an RBI double in the seventh and Demmon hit a 2-run shot in the first.

Jason Leblebijian (2-for-4) had a 2-run triple to get Prospect (8-10, 2-4) within a run in the seventh.

Palatine 7, Meadows 4: A 3-run rally with two outs in the top of the sixth gave Palatine (7-12, 2-4) its third straight win in the MSL crossover with East leader Rolling Meadows (9-9, 5-1).

Mike Luschen broke a 4-4 tie with an RBI single and Dan Haze (3-for-3, 3 RBI) followed with a 2-run single. Tom Galvan and Trey Cannon had 2 hits for the Pirates.

"We're starting to play better - more fundamentally sound baseball," said Palatine coach Paul Belo.

Dan Huenecke had 7 strikeouts and 4 walks in 5 innings for the victory. Alex Foley allowed only 1 hit in 2 innings for the save.

Meadows' Jon Carlson was 2-for-4 with a 3-run homer, a double and 4 RBI.

Fremd 11, Hersey 3: Vince Addison went 2-for-4 with a homer and a 2-run double as Fremd (10-5, 5-1) broke open a tied MSL crossover with a 7-run fifth.

Zenon Kolakowski, Mike Tauchman and Clint Terry had 2 hits as Matt Johnsen got the victory. Chris James and Pat Hyde homered for Hersey (8-10, 3-3).

Schaumburg 11, Wheeling 6: Dave Compitello went 3-for-4 with a 2-run single and a 2-run double and Mike Mistrata homered as Schaumburg (8-9, 2-4) rallied from a 3-0 deficit after 4 innings in the MSL crossover.

Kyle Meyer (6-1) got the win for the Saxons. Matt Holmes homered for Wheeling (2-16, 1-5).

Carmel 13, St. Viator 4: Brett Kay went 3-for-4 with a double for St. Viator (9-9, 0-5) in the East Suburban Catholic Conference loss at Carmel (14-5, 3-2).