Warren runs record to 12-2 with rout of Grant

It was a day to hit, and, unfortunately for poor Scott Heelan, a day to get hit.

As if his body doesn't take enough abuse blocking pitches and absorbing foul tips, the Virginia Tech-bound catcher twice took a pitch off the thigh during at-bats in the third inning of Warren's 20-1, five-inning rout of Grant on a windy Friday in Gurnee.

Heelan reached base three times, in total. He started the Warren scoring with a 2-run double in a 6-run bottom of the first off Grant starter Isaiah Medina.

"Before I batted (the second time in the third inning), I was joking around with the umpire. We've had him a few times in the past," Heelan said. "I told him, 'I'm going to charge the mound if I get hit again.' So right when the pitch hit me, I just turned and looked at the umpire and he started laughing."

Heelan and his teammates have smiled plenty this season. The Blue Devils' North Suburban Conference crossover win hiked their record to 12-2.

"It's a good group of kids," Warren coach Clint Smothers said. "Hitting has been a real strong point for us."

Maybe that will help comfort Grant (4-5-1), which saw three pitchers surrender 19 hits, including 8 doubles and 2 home runs, in just four innings. And the Bulldogs didn't pick on Heelan, as Jake Economos also got plunked by a pitch.

"Our statistician is going to have fun filling out all our little stats," Heelan said with a laugh.

Mike Herrmann, Warren's 6-foot-4, 210-pound first baseman, had himself a day to remember, too, going 4-for-5 with 3 doubles. He knocked in a pair.

One of his doubles was a bloop shot down the right-field line. A gusty wind, aided by a bright sun, made any ball hit to right field an adventure.

"Ever since they cut these trees down (behind the backstop, before the season), the wind's been blowing a lot," Herrmann said. "We pretty much get this wind every game now. We've had better hitter's days, but this was one of the best hitter's days we've had so far."

Pat Kenney's 3-run homer in the first inning cleared the right-field fence, but his towering shot needed no help.

" 'PK' is just a monster," Heelan said of the 6-3 sophomore. "Our team waited back on the ball really well today."

Warren's 3-run second started with consecutive doubles by Kevin Colburn, Herrmann and Pat Oliver (2 RBI). Kenney and winning pitcher Ryan Kennedy also had doubles, while leadoff-hitter Tim Bodine went 4-for-4 with a 2-run single and stolen base.

Caleb Haley jacked a pinch-hit homer with two aboard to cap a 9-run third and lined an RBI single his next trip.

"Our guys did a nice job of going the other way," Smothers said.

Kennedy, who's emerged as Warren's No. 2 pitcher behind Zach Schneider, threw 4 dominant innings. Kennedy (4-0) struck out seven, while allowing just 2 hits. He allowed Grant's run, but it was unearned.

"He's a very good pitcher," Grant coach Dave Behm said.

Recent freshman call-ups Jordan Villareal (RBI single) and Jake Ring (double) each had a hit for the Bulldogs, whose other hit was a double by Kyle Hunter, who was thrown out trying to stretch his hit into a triple, ending the game.

"I thought we had good at-bats," Behm said. "We're playing Vernon Hills next week, and that's what we're going to need."

Warren played well defensively, too, as it did not commit an error.

"All of our pitchers have been throwing well," Herrmann said. "Our defense is coming together and, as you can see, we hit the ball very well."