Monday's Fox Valley roundup
Elgin 15, East Aurora 4: The Maroons earned their first win of the season in dominating fashion with an Upstate Eight victory in Aurora. Elgin (1-16, 1-11) already led 4-3, but a 7-run fourth inning gave the Maroons control of the game. Cody Thomas keyed the big inning with a grand slam home run. Casey Knaak belted a 2-run home run and Lee Jackson connected for 4 hits and drove in 3 runs. Tom Roth (1-3) earned the victory on the mound. The senior tossed 6 innings, allowed 5 hits, struck out 5 and walked 4.
Huntley 7, Crystal Lake Central 6: Nathan Sopena went 3-for-3, stole 2 bases and drove in 2 runs, Andre Sopena went 2-for-3 with 2 doubles, and senior catcher Jimmy Gordon went 2-for-2 with 1 RBI to spark the Red Raiders (18-3-1, 4-0) to a home win in the Fox Valley Conference's Fox Division. Winning pitcher Tanner Funke (6-1) went the distance, allowing 9 hits and 4 earned runs. He struck out 6 and walked 4. Connor Buxton went 2-for-3 for Crystal Lake Central (10-10, 1-3). Huntley jumped to a 7-0 lead through four innings, but the Tigers made it interesting with a 5-run fifth and another run in the seventh.
Jacobs 15, Woodstock 2: The Golden Eagles erupted for 7 runs in the top of the first inning and sealed this five-inning Fox Valley Conference (Valley Division) victory with a 5-run fifth. Junior Brandon Richman went 2-for-4 and drove in 4 runs, and sophomore Brett Kale went 2-for-3 with 3 RBI. Nick Panvino (4-1) held the Blue Streaks to 4 hits.
McHenry 9, Dundee-Crown 4: The Warriors overcame a 3-0 deficit by scoring 4 runs in the third inning and 4 in the fourth to win a Fox Valley Conference (Valley Division) contest in Carpentersville. Senior Chris Leifel doubled and homered for the Chargers (4-15, 1-3).
Cary-Grove 4, Crystal Lake South 0: Pitcher Matt Nelsen allowed 4 hits to improve to 7-0 with a shutout in Cary. Nelsen also doubled at the plate. Mike Vazquez doubled for CL South (), but the Gators couldn't muster enough offense to back losing pitcher Tim Ambrose.
Hampshire 2, Richmond-Burton 1: Junior Ryan Burke (3-1) held the Rockets to 8 hits, struck out 8 and walked none in a key Big Northern-East victory. Matt Kuefner went 2-for-3 with a double and drove in a run and Burke doubled for the Whip-Purs (13-9, 4-2).