Elk Grove, St. Viator advance in postseason action

Kyle Pfister walked on the wild side Tuesday but helped Elk Grove survive and advance in its Class 4A baseball regional quarterfinal Tuesday.

All six of Pfister's walks led off innings for 17th-seed West Aurora. But the senior right-hander allowed only 1 hit and No. 16 Elk Grove (10-23) got a tie-breaking 2-run homer from Ryan Martinski in a 3-run sixth for a 3-1 win.

"It wasn't looking good at all for us," said Elk Grove coach Terry Beyna of the comeback. "Pfister pitched well enough."

Which put the Grenadiers in today's 4:30 p.m. regional semifinal against top-seed St. Charles North (31-4).

Chris Richter had a third-inning RBI single for West Aurora (9-24). But an error to start the sixth and Ryan Daubenspeck's single set up Justin Rambert's tying sacrifice fly.

That set up the big blast from Martinski, who received doctor's clearance to play just before the game after having to leave last Wednesday's game at Hersey because of shortness of breath from a heart condition considered non-life threatening. Martinski entered Tuesday's game in the second inning at shortstop.

Class 3AJack Czeszewski had 3 hits and 3 RBI and Brendan King scattered 6 hits as top-seeded St. Viator (17-18) won its first regional game in four years 12-2 in 5 innings over No. 5 Guerin (12-23) in the the Elmwood Park 3A semifinal.Cory Kay, David Alameda and Julian Sipiora had 2 hits apieced for the Lions, who play for the regional title at 10 a.m. Saturday against the winner of today's Vernon Hills-Elmwood Park game.King had 3 strikeouts and 1 walk in 5 innings.Other gamesZach Demmon hit a 2-run homer and a game-winning single in the bottom of the seventh as Hoffman Estates (14-20) beat Glenbrook North 6-5. Chris Fett had 3 hits and a 2-run double.Carmel 7, Fremd 6: Vince Addison hit his fourth homer for Fremd (19-13).