Downers Grove South holds off WW South

Downers Grove South's pitching staff is more than just a two-man show.

Much more, judging by Tuesday's game against Wheaton Warrenville South.

Ashton Smith pitched 5 strong innings and Matt Wivinis was barely touchable while picking up a clutch save as Downers South held off the visiting Tigers 5-4 in their nonconference game.

Mustangs junior Nick Burdi, committed to Louisville, and senior Jake Rone, committed to Parkland, represent one of the area's best 1-2 pitching punches. But with Smith and others also looking tough, it won't be easy beating the Mustangs (5-1) on any give day with their emerging pitching depth.

Smith (1-0) pitched 4 scoreless innings before surrendering a pair of runs, one unearned, in his fifth and final inning.

"I didn't force anything, I just threw a lot of strikes," said Smith, who scattered 6 hits and struck out four. "Our pitching is really going to help us this year. If we all do our jobs and throw strikes, we'll be in pretty good shape."

WW South's Parker Ryndak, coming back from a knee injury, launched a 2-run homer to center field as the Tigers (3-2) pulled within 5-4 in the sixth inning. Wivinis, however, came on in the top of the seventh and retired the side, notching 2 strikeouts to preserve the win and deny WW South its third comeback this season from a 5-run deficit.

"We kind of sat on the lead and refused to adjust to the game," said Mustangs coach Darren Orel. "Baseball's a game of adjusting, and we can't be putting that much pressure on our pitchers. That's our fifth guy out there and he's battling, and we just felt like 5 runs is enough."

Downers South claimed a 5-0 lead in the first three innings, starting with Jacob Wolf's 2-run homer in the first inning. Kevin Strelak and Kyle Engel each singled home a run in the second inning, and Nick Tenerelli added an RBI single in the third.

Joey Tedeschi drove in WW South's first run with a fifth-inning single. An error allowed R.J. Hoshell, who went 4-for-4, to score and make it 5-2 in the fifth.

Unlike last week's come-from-behind wins over Hinsdale South and Downers North, however, the Tigers couldn't cap the rally.

"It was good to see us respond a little bit, I just felt that we were lacking a little emotion," said Tigers coach Tim Brylka. "We were just a little flat, even after we started coming back and made it a 1-run game. They're a pretty good team, but we need to have more energy out there."