Add Lake Park to the Mike Murphy fan club

Sometimes you just have to tip your hat to a kid.

Waubonsie Valley pitcher Mike Murphy dominated Lake Park in Monday's Upstate Eight Conference baseball game in Roselle, leading the Warriors to a 3-0 victory.

After the game, Lancers coach Dan Colucci had nothing but praise for the junior left-hander.

"Murphy made some great pitches, he kept us off balance, he kept guys close to first base," Colucci said. "He did everything you expect a pitcher to do. We struck out 12 times, and you don't put a lot of pressure on a defense when you do that."

Murphy scattered 5 hits, walked one and hit a batter in the complete-game effort. His 12 strikeouts - six looking - give him 44 in 261/3 innings as he improved to 3-1.

"I was feeling good today, my arm was rested," Murphy said. "I just had to go out there and keep throwing strikes. We were really mixing it up with the pitches, and that's a credit to the coaching staff. They had confidence in everything I was going to throw."

Waubonsie Valley (11-7, 8-3) created the only run it needed in the top of the first inning after Eric Sousanes led off with a walk. He stole second, moved to third on a passed ball and scored on Eric Josupait's infield single.

Lake Park starter Peter Spear (2-1) kept the Warriors right there, but the Lancers (12-5, 6-3) couldn't get much going at the plate. The Lancers put two runners on base in the third and fifth innings but, with two outs in each frame, Murphy escaped both jams with strikeouts.

Lake Park put only one runner on third base when Spear doubled to lead off the seventh inning and moved up a base on a bunt.

"We abandoned a lot of the things we talked about as hitters," Colucci said. "Our concept is to battle with two strikes, and we weren't battling."

The Warriors scored a pair of insurance runs in the fifth inning when Sam Carius pounded a 2-run homer over the left-field fence to boost the lead to 3-0.

Combine Murphy's effort with some timely hits and an errorless defense, and it's no wonder Waubonsie Valley won its sixth straight game.

"Lake Park's a good team, and Mike Murphy was outstanding against them," said Warriors coach Dan Fezzuoglio. "It was just a great game for us overall."