Gill, Waubonsie Valley pick off Lake Park

Execution came in all shapes and sizes for Waubonsie Valley's surging baseball team.

In crunch time it took the form of senior lefty pitcher Ryne Gill, whose second pickoff of the game eliminated the tying run in the bottom of the seventh and helped cap his 4-3 complete-game victory over Lake Park.

"Being lefty helps," Gill said. "I got called for a balk earlier in the game, and I just decided to go over there one more time."

Tuesday's Upstate Eight Conference win in Aurora was the Warriors' fifth in six games. Even though the team expected this kind of success from the start, the late arrival is still a welcomed sign.

"We're starting to play a lot better than we were at the beginning of the year," Gill said. "I don't know what it was but we just didn't get off to a good start."

With the score tied 3-3 in the top of the seventh, Waubonsie Valley (8-9, 7-4) led off the frame with a double by Jonny Strauss. He moved to third on Eric Sousanes' sacrifice bunt and, after a groundout, Kevin Kirchner drove in Strauss with a bloop single to right field.

The Lancers (3-12, 2-6) led off the bottom of the seventh with a single, but after a sacrifice bunt attempt failed on a two-strike foul ball, Gill fired the decisive pickoff attempt to first base. A sharp groundout then ended the game.

"We keep making the same mistakes, and at some point you've got to learn," said Lake Park coach Dan Colucci. "We got picked off twice and we weren't even stealing. We couldn't get two bunts down. We're finding ways not to win.

"I truly believe these guys can play at this level," he added. "We'll get after it again tomorrow and see what happens."

Lake Park shot to a 2-0 lead in the first inning when Garrett Gajewski scored on a first-and-third double steal and Jake McNamara singled home Dan Suich. A 2-run error allowed Waubonsie Valley to tie the game in the third.

Matt Kaiser's RBI single reclaimed a 3-2 lead for the Lancers, but Waubonsie Valley knotted it again in the fourth when Singh's double led to Strauss' RBI groundout.

Gill (1-0) struck out 10 in front of an errorless defense to edge Lake Park starter Kevin Miller (1-2), who allowed only 1 earned run as the Lancers committed 4 errors.

"Today we played another solid game and got another 1-run win," said Warriors coach Dan Fezzuoglio. "We're starting to turn it around here a little bit."

BOX SCORE

Waubonsie Valley 4, Lake Park 3

Waubonsie Valley 020 100 1 -4-6-0

Lake Park 201 000 0 -3-7-4

2B: WV: Strauss, Kirchner, Singh; LP: Gajewski.

WP: Gill (1-0); LP: Miller (1-2).