Pirates, Knights, Lions hold on for 1-run wins

A scary seventh inning couldn't prevent Palatine from its seventh straight victory as it held on for a 6-5 Mid-Suburban League baseball crossover win over visiting Elk Grove on Monday.

Belmont University-bound Dan Huenecke threw a 5-hitter and allowed 3 earned runs with 5 strikeouts and 3 walks for the Pirates (11-12, 5-4).

"He did a great job," said Palatine coach Paul Belo.

Dan Haze and Trey Cannon had 2 hits for the Pirates, who manufactured their way to a 6-2 lead after 5 innings. Andy Prombo had an RBI single in the third, Tom Galvan squeeze bunted home a run in the fourth and freshman Kurt Becker had a 2-run double in the fifth.

"We've had some key hits," Belo said, "and we've done a good job of moving runners and playing the short game when we needed to."

Joey DeHuebles had a 2-run single as Elk Grove (17-9, 4-5) rallied in the seventh. DeHuebles scored on J.J. Kaczynski's groundout but first baseman Byron Skinner nailed a runner trying for third and Huenecke ended it with a strikeout.

Prospect 5, Barrington 4: John Coen allowed only 1 run into the seventh and Peter Bonahoom stole home in the seventh for what turned out to be a big run for Prospect (10-12, 3-6) in the MSL crossover.

Jason Leblebijian and Bonahoom (2-for-3) had RBI singles in the third as Prospect broke a 1-1 tie. Coen had 7 strikeouts and 3 walks in 62/3 innings.

Anthony Brignola hit a 3-run homer, his seventh, with two outs in the seventh for Barrington (13-8, 5-4). Mike Sampson got the final out for the Knights.

St. Viator 4, Marist 3: Brendan King (4-2) went the distance and left the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh as St. Viator (14-9, 4-5) won its fifth straight in the East Suburban Catholic Conference game in Chicago.

King, who blanked Carmel for the last 7 innings of an 8-inning win last Wednesday, didn't allow a run until the sixth. Each team scored twice in the seventh and Marist (12-11, 6-3) had the bases loaded with two outs but King got a groundout to shortstop Brett Kay, who also went 3-for-3.

Cory Kay (2 RBI) and Kevin Gannon went 2-for-4.

Fremd 12, Wheeling 0: Lefty Matt Johnsen (4-0) threw a 4-hitter with 3 strikeouts and 2 walks as Fremd (12-6, 6-2) moved into sole possession of first in the MSL West with the 5-inning crossover win over visiting Wheeling (2-18, 1-7).

Clint Terry (2 RBI, double) and Mike Tauchman (triple) went 2-for-3 for Fremd.

Hersey 7, Schaumburg 3: Steve Danielak allowed only 1 earned run with 4 strikeouts and 1 walk in a complete game for Hersey (12-11, 5-4) in the MSL crossover.

Joe Perricone hit a 2-run homer and Matt Milligan had a sacrifice fly in a 4-run third that put Hersey up 5-2. Chris James was 2-for-3 with an RBI single, Kevin Polinski went 2-for-3 with 2 steals and Jake Knauss had 2 sacrifice flies.

Dave Compitello threw 4 innings of 2-hit relief for Schaumburg (9-11, 3-6).

BG 13, Hoffman 5: Jon Moore hit a grand slam in an 8-run third as Buffalo Grove (9-11, 4-4) had 19 hits in the MSL crossover.

Winner James Hurley (2-3) helped himself with a triple and a homer and went 4-for-5. Jeremy Salzman (2 doubles, 2 RBI), Matt Stadler and Greg Sanders went 3-for-5 and Dan Linden (2 RBI) and Zach Jones went 2-for-3.

Mike Norman homered for Hoffman Estates (7-16, 3-6).