Gentile, Grayslake C. stroll past McHenry
Mike Gentile slammed a walk-off 3-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to rally host Grayslake Central's baseball team from a 3-1 deficit en route to a 4-3 victory over McHenry in the Fox Valley Fox Division opener for both teams Tuesday.
The visiting Warriors had taken a 2-run lead in the top of the ninth, but singles by Stefan Falbo and Joe Schaiper set up Gentile's heroics.
Gentile also clubbed a pair of doubles to account for half of the Rams' hits.
"Typical FVC game," Grayslake Central coach Troy Whalen said. "Mike has us on his back right now offensively. I'm really proud of the way the kids came back. We wasted some scoring opportunities late in the game, but you have to credit McHenry pitching for that."
Mike Gawinski, the Rams' third pitcher, picked up his first varsity win. Grayslake Central starter Matt Murphy tossed the first 7 innings, allowing 1 run on 4 hits. The senior fanned nine and didn't walk a batter.
Grayslake Central (6-1) visits Carmel today.
Lake Zurich 4, Mundelein 3: Parker Asmann pitched a complete game, allowing 2 earned runs, and aided his own cause with a solo home run and single for the visiting Bears in the North Suburban Lake Division opener.
"We saved our best game of the season for the conference opener," Lake Zurich coach Gary Simon said.
Asmann had a tough first inning, giving up 5 hits and 3 runs, but settled in.
Lake Zurich (5-5) surged ahead in the fifth by scoring 3 runs. Chris Bauman led the Bears' 11-hit attack by going 3-for-4 with an RBI. Dan Minogue (2-for-4, RBI, run) and Dan Johnsen (2-for-3, run, walk) also contributed offensively.
"I'm proud of the way we hung in there and battled back," Simon said.
For Mundelein, Bill McMahon was 3-for-3, while Ryan Black had a double.
Vernon Hills 9, Antioch 3: Scott Kempel had another solid outing for the Cougars, as he allowed 2 earned runs on 5 hits while striking out seven over 5 innings in the North Suburban Prairie Division opener.
Cesar Gallegos had a quality relief appearance, throwing 2 innings and allowing 1 earned run on 1 hit while striking out two.
Brian Palmer (2-for-2, 2 doubles) put Vernon Hills on the board in the bottom of fourth, when he doubled home Zach Kisley and Kempel.
After Chris Argianas reached on a fielder's choice, Ryan Knopoff (2-for-2, 2 RBI) and Chris Marras (2-for-4) singled back-to-back to plate two more runs.
Vernon Hills added to the lead in the sixth, when the first five hitters of the inning reached safely. Argianas had a key single, which scored Gallegos and Palmer. Marras later drove in Argianas, and Kisley knockewd in Knopoff on a sacrifice fly.
For Antioch (2-5), Paul DeJong was 1-for-3 with 2 RBI. The Sequoits stranded 11 runners on base, leaving the bases loaded three times.