Kukulka, Lakes savor Prairie title
It was a perfect day for Lakes' baseball team on Tuesday in Lake Villa.
Not only did the Eagles clinch their second straight North Suburban Prairie Division championship, but junior pitcher Paul Kukulka threw a perfect game in the Eagles' 10-0 win over Round Lake.
Kukulka faced the minimum 15 batters, as the game lasted only five innings. He struck out 10, while also helping himself at the plate with 3 hits, a run scored and an RBI.
Lakes (22-9, 10-2) will host Stevenson in the NSC championship game at 4:30 p.m. Thursday.
Against Round Lake (2-10 NSC Prairie), Lakes scored in every inning except the third. The Eagles' big inning was the fourth, as they scored five times.
With Kukulka dealing on the mound and the Eagles leading 3-0, sophomore Chris Hoffman lead off the fouryth with a walk and stole second base. Wills Massie then reached on an error, which also moved Hoffman to third.
Travis Vanderwall drove in Hoffman with a single to make it 4-0 and Massie ended up on third base. Mark Ortman drove in Massie with a sacrifice fly to make it 5-0. Vanderwall then stole second and moved to third on Kukulka's single.
Nick Traska drove in Vanderwall to make it 6-0, before Ryan Noon drilled a 2-run double.
Lakes scored two more runs in the fifth to conclude the scoring.
Wauconda 2, Grant 1: Jake Ziolkowski smacked a 2-run triple in the third, and Jeremy Wagner went the distance on the mound, as Wauconda won the North Suburban Prairie game.
Kevin Fessler and Jeff Jackson added doubles for Wauconda (16-14)
Jake Ring went 2-for-3 for Grant.
Mundelein 11, Loyola 3: Luis Carrasco homered, and Austin Ozog doubled twice for the Mustangs in their nonconference home game.
Mundelein (19-9), which jumped out to a 7-0 lead after one inning, also got doubles from Bill McMahon, Matt Risdon and Colin Franklin.
Kevin Rohe earned the win.
Antioch 11, North Chicago 0: Andy Green fired a five-inning 1-hitter with 10 strikeouts for the Sequoits in the North Suburban Prairie game.
Antioch improved to 15-14 and 7-4.