WW South turns walks into runs

As Wheaton Warrenville South and Naperville Central combined for 13 walks, winning simply came down to taking advantage.

The Tigers did a much better job in that category, and it helped them salvage the third and final game of their DuPage Valley Conference baseball series.

Turning five of those walks into runs, WW South surged to an 8-3 victory over visiting Naperville Central, which claimed the first two games of the series.

“We haven't been supporting our pitchers as well as we wanted to, so it felt good to come out against a good team and give a lot of run support,” said Tigers center fielder Kevin Bridges, whose 3-run double in the second inning put his team ahead to stay.

“Our goal is to win every series, but you can't achieve every goal you have,” he said. “It's good to win the last one because it gives you a lot of momentum going into the next series.”

After Naperville Central (10-5, 5-1) took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first on Jake DeVoy's RBI single and a first-and-third double steal, WW South (7-8, 3-3) took control.

It started with Bridges' bases-clearing double, which was aided by a pair of walks. The lead grew to 5-2 in the third inning when Jeremy Rhoades tripled home a run and winning pitcher Parker Ryndak (3-0) came through with a sacrifice fly.

With one of the third-inning runs also scoring after a walk, the day's theme clearly was established.

“They walked us, too, and we just didn't take advantage,” said Redhawks coach Bill Seiple, whose team's loss leaves Glenbard North as the lone DVC unbeaten. “We've got to do a better job at the plate, and we've got to compete on the mound a little bit better.”

WW South extended its lead to 7-2 in the bottom of the fifth on consecutive run-scoring hits by R.J. Hoshell, who went 2-for-3, and Torey Willsey. After Naperville Central got a run back on a sixth-inning error, Ryndak boosted the advantage back to 8-3 with an RBI single.

Ryndak went 6 innings, striking out four, walking six and scattering 5 hits to pick up the win. Nick Garlick closed the game with a scoreless seventh.

“It was a good win,” said WW South coach Tim Brylka. “It's always good to salvage one, especially since those first two were so tough.”