Hauer powers Rock Island past Elk Grove

How tough was Rock Island ace Justin Hauer on Wednesday at Recreation Park in Arlington Heights?

"We were even having trouble adjusting to him in the sixth inning after we had seen him a few times," said Elk Grove coach Brian Mucha. "I told our guys we just never adjusted. He located the fastball and his sliders were pretty nasty."

Hauser, who was 3-1 for Black Hawk College in Moline this spring before injuring his knee, ran his Legion record to 7-0 as the right-hander scattered 4 hits in Rock Island's 8-2 victory in the opening round of the American Legion state tournament.

The Elk Grove Post 216 Red Sox (26-12) will now try to avoid elimination against Palatine (22-7) in today's loser's bracket at 7 p.m.

Hauer was hurling a no-hitter through 42/3 innings.

But the Red Sox only trailed 2-1.

Dave Compitello reached on an error in the first inning and came home on Colin Semler's sacrifice fly to right to give Elk Grove a 1-0 lead.

But Rock Island (27-4) scored a pair of runs off Chris Hoffman (5-4) in the bottom of the fourth, getting RBI singles by Mike Weiland and Josh Keim for a 2-1 lead.

With two out in the top of the fifth, Derek Wojcik drew a walk and Kyle Pusateri delivered the Red Sox' first hit with a double over the left fielder's head, scoring Wojcik and tying the game at 2-2.

"Pusateri's shot over the left fielder put us right back in the game, " Mucha said. "But then we gave up a 2-spot right back in the bottom of the inning and that kind of deflated us. We needed to shut the door right after we tied the game."

Chris D'Angelo beat out an infield grounder in the sixth, Tony Logli singled to left in the seventh and Semler singled to right in the eighth for the only others hits off Hauer.

"I was just trying to keep the ball low," said Hauer, who also belted his second homer of the season in the bottom of the sixth. "That's a good team. I just wanted to hit my spots and let my defense do the job."

"We told the kids how important it was to win the first game," said Rock Island coach Tom Teager. "It's a long road against quality teams if you lose that first one.

"Justin did a heck of job. We figured that he would give us an opportunity to win. He probably wouldn't pitch again unless if we needed him for maybe an inning in a second game on Saturday."

Mucha, who will start Wojcik at 7 p.m. today, praised Hauer.

"You've got to tip your cap to him," Mucha said. "I'm guessing he's their No. 1, and in the state tournament that's what you're going to see."