Shober (4-for-4) leads Palatine to victory

Ryan Shober's back trouble improved just in time for Palatine's American Legion baseball team in the Great Lakes Regional tournament in Appleton, Wis.

Shober had to leave Saturday night's game early but had no problems Sunday night. He played second base and went 4-for-4 with 2 doubles and 4 RBI to lead the Blue Jays (28-8) to an 11-6 victory over Hammond, Ind.

The victory gave Hammond its first loss in the double-elimination tourney and kept Palatine's hopes alive of qualifying for the American Legion World Series starting Friday in Fargo, N.D.

Palatine will play Midland, Mich., at 4 p.m. today, and the winner meets Hammond at approximately 7:30 p.m. for the regional crown.

Palatine broke a 5-5 tie and went ahead to stay in a 3-run sixth inning on a 2-run double by Mike Tauchman and an RBI single by Shober.

Palatine got its 12-hit attack started right away as Zenon Kolakowski's single set up a 2-run first inning where Matt Johnsen had a sacrifice fly, and Shober had an RBI double.

Hammond tied it in the bottom of the first, but Palatine answered with a 2-run third. Nick Addison doubled, Kolakowski singled and after Tauchman sacrificed, consecutive walks to Johnsen, Shober and Clint Terry made it 4-2.

Terry had an RBI single in the fifth, but Hammond tied it with 3 runs in the bottom of the inning.

Palatine added a pair of two-out insurance runs in the eighth on an RBI single by Johnsen and an RBI double by Shober.

Joey DePaolis also came through with a clutch relief pitching performance for Palatine. DePaolis allowed no runs and only 1 hit in 3 innings with 1 walk and 2 strikeouts.

Palatine is now 3-1 in the tourney and surpassed the 2-2 finish of the 1989 team that played in the regionals.