Wheeling's rally tank is full

Wheeling's summer was running on empty going into the sixth inning of Monday's Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association Palatine regional against Glenbrook North.

But the 14th-seeded Wildcats (10-12) finally got going offensively and a big eighth-inning outburst led to a 10-4 win over the No. 3 Spartans.

It also completed a Glenbrook sweep as Tyler Shapiro threw a 2-hitter in a 7-1 win over No. 19 South in a play-in game.

"This has been our best summer since I've been here," said Wheeling coach Mike Tice. "Down 2-0 (to North), it looked like our summer was over. We're having a fun summer."

Starting pitcher Anthony Spiezia got the tying hit in the sixth against North. Kalvin Thong also had a key hit and Theo Yfantis got the victory.

In the first game, Shapiro got some nice family support. His cousin Dave Shapiro, who will be a sophomore, hit a 3-run homer.

"Tyler has really shown some great strides," Tice said of the right-hander who will be a senior.

Wheeling will play in today's 4 p.m. quarterfinal at No. 11 Barrington, which beat No. 6 Deerfield 9-7.

No. 2 Palatine (18-5) lost a 4-run lead but tied it with a 2-run seventh and beat No. 15 Highland Park 7-6 without a hit in the eighth inning.

Jim Smearman fouled off three 3-2 pitches before drawing a game-winning, bases-loaded walk with two outs. David Schalla got the win with 21/3 innings of relief.

Joe Walsh went 3-for-3 with a 3-run homer, his third in three games, in the first and an RBI triple in the third to put Palatine up 4-0. But it trailed 6-4 when Kurt Becker led off the seventh with a double and scored on Smearman's single.

Walsh walked and courtesy runner Jake Demars scored the tying run on a wild pitch and wild throw to third.

"It's been a very good summer," said Palatine coach Paul Belo, who was without standouts Cody Bobbit and Dan Haze because of groin injuries. "Our younger kids have really been learning how to play up a level."

Palatine will host No. 7 Lake Forest, an 8-2 winner over Niles North, at 4 p.m. today.

Kurt Kaufman threw a complete game and went 3-for-3 with a homer, double and 3 RBI as No. 5 Fremd (11-8) beat No. 12 New Trier 8-2.

"He did a nice job," Fremd coach Chris Piggott said after Kaufman threw only 80 pitches with 6 strikeouts, 1 walk and a hit batter. "He threw strikes and we played good defense."

Matt Wisniewski went 3-for-4 with 2 RBI and Zach Kolakowski was 2-for-4 with 2 steals. Fremd is at No. 4 Niles West, an 8-7 winner over Lane Tech, at 4 p.m. today.

Top-seed Notre Dame tipped No. 17 Buffalo Grove 2-1 in 8 innings and hosts No. 8 Maine South at 4 p.m. today. BG beat No. 16 Evanston 7-3 in a play-in game.

Prospect regionalFifth-seed Conant (9-3) rallied from a 3-run deficit to edge No. 12 St. Viator 6-5 behind 5 strong relief innings from righty Mike Passaro.Joe Belmonte had a big 2-run double to put Conant up 6-3. Jon Altobelli had 2 hits and Kyle Gizynski had 2 RBI."We got some key basehits with guys on base and when you put the ball in play things happen," said Conant coach Jerry Song. "We've been playing pretty solid, which is a pretty good sign."Conant will play today's 4 p.m. quarterfinal at St. Viator against No. 13 Glenbard North, which beat No. 4 Hersey 4-3.Third-seed Prospect (17-3) got a combined 1-hitter with 13 strikeouts from Ben Menich and Steve Dazzo in a 10-1 win over No. 19 Elgin.Menich allowed only an infield single up the middle in the fourth inning and had 11 strikeouts and 2 walks in 6 innings."He's really developed command of all of his pitches," said Prospect coach Ross Giusti. "He's really been impressive and taken that next step."Menich (2 doubles), Shane Joyce (double, 3 hits), Jack Landwehr (2 hits, 2 RBI), Brad Coffman (3 RBI), Peter Bonahoom (homer) and Luke Bergman (double) led the offense.Prospect hosts today's 4 p.m. quarterfinal against No. 11 Lake Park, a 10-2 winner over Schaumburg.The 1 p.m. quarterfinals are No. 1 Streamwood vs. No. 8 Bartlett at Viator and No. 2 Burlington Central vs. No. 7 Dundee-Crown at Prospect.Fenwick regionalNo. 8 Maine West advanced with a 6-4 win over No. 9 Riverside-Brookfield and plays in today's 4 p.m. quarterfinal at top-seed Nazareth. No. 7 Leyden lost 4-3 to No. 10 Glenbard West.