Waubonsie beats St. Charles East for 3rd straight
What a difference a few days made for both Waubonsie Valley and St. Charles East’s baseball teams Thursday in Aurora.
A few days ago the Warriors stood at 0-6, a disappointing start for a program used to winning. After an 8-4 victory over the Saints Thursday, the Warriors now have three straight wins and a bounce in their step.
“We have a great team chemistry,” said winning pitcher James Palasz. “We knew when we were 0-6 we lost a couple we shouldn’t have lost and a couple things happened you wouldn’t see even in a Major League game. We knew we could pull it together. We’ve been working hard since November and we have each other’s back.”
And it was just two days ago St. Charles East (7-4, 3-1 in the Upstate Eight Conference) was bashing the ball all over the park, crushing four home runs in a 9-2 win over Lake Park.
It’s doubtful any of those home runs Tuesday would have come anywhere near going out at Waubonsie Valley Thursday with a wind gusting straight in from center on a frigid day for baseball.
“It was howling in,” said Saints first baseman Tony Rallo, who slugged 2 home runs in the win Tuesday. “We just have to hit the ball down when the wind is blowing like this and play the conditions.”
The Saints did just that early. Jordan Hayes walked before Luke Rojas and Johnny Hondlik singled to load the bases. The Warriors muffed a potential double play grounder that scored 2 runs and put them in a 2-0 hole.
Waubonsie Valley (3-6, 3-2) scored in all 6 innings. The Warriors’ first three runs were unearned, starting with a booted ground ball in the first that plated Chris Anderson who had led off with a single.
Saints starter Dan Ditusa (2-1) didn’t get any help in the second inning. Another infield error started the inning, and the Warriors tied the game when the Saints right fielder and second baseman let a ball drop between them.
“We didn’t come out very sharp,” Saints coach Dave Haskins said. “Communication breakdown between our right fielder and our second baseman. Just a lot of mental mistakes.”
Waubonsie Valley took the lead for good in the third inning on yet another Saints infield error, then broke the game open with a 3-run fourth. The Warriors’ No. 8 and 9 hitters, Brian Deal and Mitch Stefani (3-for-3), started the rally with singles.
Anderson’s bunt brought in the first run. Ryan Vega (2-for-2, 2 walks, 3 runs) and Mike Murphy delivered RBI singles for a 6-2 lead.
“You would never think we were on 0-6 team if you came and watched us today,” Warriors coach Dan Fezzuoglio said. “It’s a credit to the kids on how hard they work and stay focused. Now we are getting timely hitting. St. Charles East is a good program. It was a nice win for us.”
Palasz worked the first 5 1/3 innings, allowing 5 hits, 4 runs and 3 walks with 1 strikeout.
While the Saints committed 4 errors, the Warriors got a couple web gems from Vega at shortstop and second baseman Stefani, who dove to rob Matt Harris of a hit, throwing Harris out at first while lying on the ground.
“The wind blowing in, obviously I was going to let the hitters get a little bigger piece of the ball than normal,” Palasz said. “The defense really picked me up.”
“He was throwing a lot of curve balls and we were swinging at the curve balls,” Rallo said. “We just have to be more selective and get fastballs and hit them hard.”
Matt Risch recorded his first save allowing no hits in the final 1 2/3 innings.
An RBI double by Saints catcher Brian Sobieski was the only extra-base hit for either team. Hondlik had 2 of the Saints’ 5 hits.
“We didn’t get it done defensively to help support our pitching,” Haskins said. “We still have to get better doing the little things but we’ll be OK.”