Palatine continues to roll

Palatine has grown up in a hurry in the last week.

The Pirates have only one senior in their starting lineup but the immediate outlook continued to look brighter in Wednesday's Mid-Suburban League baseball crossover moved to Prospect because of field conditions.

A strong start by junior right-hander Byron Skinner, flawless defense and timely hitting led the Pirates (8-12, 3-4) to a 4-1 win and fourth straight victory.

"This team has incredible potential," said Skinner, who threw a 5-hitter with 10 strikeouts and 5 walks in 62/3 innings. "We're a bunch of kids who like playing with each other.

"We're all hitting and playing defense and that's what we need to do. You feel good as a pitcher getting the defense like we did today."

Skinner used a fastball, slider and changeup to throw 71 of his 111 pitches for strikes. The only Prospect (8-11, 2-5) run came on Jason Leblebijian's single in the first.

Skinner rebounded from Miles Osei's line shot single off his leg in the fourth to strike out the next three hitters on nine pitches.

"Our pitchers have been throwing strikes and letting guys put it in play," said Palatine sophomore second baseman Joe Campe, who was 2-for-3 with a double to start a decisive 2-run third. "We're confident we're going to make plays."

Palatine tied it with an unearned run in the first off John Coen, who had 8 strikeouts in 42/3 innings. With two out in the third, Mike Luschen had an RBI single, Dan Haze beat out an infield hit and Skinner (2-for-3) lined an RBI single to center.

"Those were things we weren't doing early," said Palatine coach Paul Belo. "We weren't getting the clutch hit. We're starting to get it and really pulling together."

Tom Galvan had a two-out RBI single in the fifth. Campe also thwarted a potential rally in the fifth with a nice backhand on Leblebijian's hard grounder for an inning-ending forceout.

"(Skinner) pitched a great game and pitched aggressively," said Prospect coach Ross Giusti. "It's disappointing when you don't counter with any aggressiveness."

Skinner walked the bases loaded in the seventh but closer Alex Foley got the dangerous Peter Bonahoom on a first-pitch grounder to shortstop Cody Bobbit for the save.

"We're all feeling really confident," Campe said. "We're playing loose and getting timely hitting. We knew it was a matter of time until we started playing like we can."

Meadows 1, Schaumburg 0: Kentucky-bound lefty Jon Carlson (4-0) threw a 2-hitter with a career-high 14 strikeouts and 2 intentional walks as East-leading Rolling Meadows (10-9, 6-1) won it with a run in the top of the seventh.

Carlson got out of a bases-loaded jam in the second with a strikeout and left runners and ended the game with runners at second and third with a strikeout that surpassed the 13 he had last Thursday at Elk Grove.

"For me, his stuff was the best I've seen all year," said Meadows coach Jim Lindeman. "I thought he had great velocity and great location with his two-seam fastball."

Schaumburg (8-10, 2-5) lefty Mike Mistrata had 10 strikeouts in a no-decision. Owen Stiff walked to start the Meadows seventh, Jake Winkler sacrificed, Dan Wenzel singled and pinch hitter Will Trunk delivered an RBI single.

Barrington 3, Wheeling 0: Two walks and a single put Barrington (12-6, 5-2) lefty Robby McDonnell in a first-inning jam in the MSL crossover.

McDonnell (5-1) struck out the side and didn't allow another hit as he finished with 9 strikeouts and the Broncos moved into a three-way tie for the West lead with Fremd and Conant.

Barrington scored in each of the first three innings on Johnny Day's groundout, Jim Cook's single and Derek Foderaro's bases-loaded walk.

Buffalo Grove 5, Conant 2: Buffalo Grove broke open a tie game with 3 runs in the top of the seventh inning to grab an MSL crossover victory.

Jeremy Salzman, Jake Copeland and James Hurley each had 1 RBI and Tommy Ricciardi drove in 2 runs for BG (8-10, 3-4).

Nate Rahn had a triple but BG complete-game winner J.P. Kulick (3-2) threw a 4-hitter. Conant (13-6, 5-2) sophomore Paul Warble had 9 strikeouts in 4 innings.

Hersey 9, Hoffman Estates 2: Steve Danielak tossed a complete-game with 11 strikeouts and visiting Hersey produced 11 hits to pick up an MSL crossover win.

Jake Knauss doubled twice for Hersey (9-10, 4-3) and drove in 4 runs, and Chris Polinski, Mike Toljanic and Alex Lee had 3 hits apiece.

Eric Smoy went 3-for-3 with a double and Justin Harris doubled twice for Hoffman Estates (7-14, 3-4).

Elk Grove 8, Fremd 5: The host Grens erupted for an 8-run inning and then held on as Fremd made a game of it with 2-run innings in the sixth and seventh in the MSL crossover.

Winner Donny Duschinsky went 3-for-4 and had 6 strikeouts and allowed 2 earned runs in 5 innings for Elk Grove (16-8, 3-4).

Zenon Kolakowski homered and Tyler Gregory was 3-for-4 with 2 doubles for Fremd (10-6, 5-2).