Carlson, Mustangs put on show in 10-1 rout of Conant

Future Kentucky baseball teammates Jon Carlson and Walt Wijas exchanged a few pleasantries before their much-anticipated showdown Monday afternoon at Conant.

But this wasn't a great time to get to know each other better. There was business to take care of before a congregation of major-league scouts and Kentucky coach Gary Henderson.

And Carlson and his Rolling Meadows teammates weren't very friendly to Wijas and Conant.

The left-handed Carlson threw a complete-game 4-hitter with 13 strikeouts and Mid-Suburban East leading Meadows (12-10, 8-1) scored 8 runs in the first 3 innings en route to a 10-1 crossover victory over Conant.

"Dominant," Meadows second baseman Dan Lauria said after Carlson struck out the last five hitters.

"I was real pumped up," Carlson said. "I was telling some of the guys, 'I really want this game.'

"I guess it's because it was me against Walt. We both wanted to give our all."

The 6-foot-4 Carlson gave Conant (13-7, 5-3) a steady diet of two- and four-seam inside fastballs consistently in the 86-88 mph range and he touched 90 on a pitch to Wijas.

Carlson had 4 walks and threw 80 of his 121 pitches for strikes in improving to 5-0. He lowered his ERA to 1.04 and has 83 strikeouts in 47 innings.

"He wanted to finish and he takes a lot of pride in doing what he's supposed to do," said Meadows coach Jim Lindeman.

"He's probably the best pitcher we've faced," said Conant coach Jerry Song. "He had some good stuff going."

Carlson also got the Mustangs' offense rolling with a two-out RBI single in the first off Wijas (4-3).

Two walks and a throwing error on Jake Winkler's sacrifice set up a 3-run second. No. 9 hitter Dan Wenzel (2-for-2) and Lauria (3-for-5) had RBI singles.

"We had to have good, quality, patient at-bats because we know he throws a lot of strikes," Lindeman said.

"I thought it would be close, but we just came out and hit," Lauria said.

Dan Lynch's double started a 4-run third. Winkler, who also threw out a runner trying to score from third on a bloop single to right, got a single off a squeeze bunt and Lauria had a 2-run double for an 8-0 lead.

"I didn't locate any of my pitches and everything they hit found a hole," said Wijas, who had 3 strikeouts and 3 walks and allowed 6 earned runs in 3 innings. "I guess that happens.

"I felt great, but location was my problem today."

Teddy Metzger homered in the sixth and Kevin Berry had an RBI single in the seventh but Carlson didn't need the extra cushion.

"Especially in the second and third innings, my teammates scoring runs was a big confidence boost," Carlson said. "You go out and can just throw the ball and just pitch to contact."

There hasn't been a lot of that lately against Carlson.