St. Charles N. beats Batavia in 7th

For six innings, two outs and two strikes, it looked like Batavia’s day — albeit a cold, overcast and very wet day.

But St. Charles North and senior center fielder Jake Bergren made their last strike pay off in a big way.

Bergren took an 0-2 curve ball from Batavia reliever Mickey Walsh and dropped it about a foot inside the right-field line for a 3-run triple that turned a 4-2 deficit into a 5-4 St. Charles North lead.

Ryan Jones worked a scoreless seventh inning for his third save, getting the final two outs when new shortstop and leadoff hitter Jake Smiley started a double play turned by second baseman David Gow and finished by John Munyon at first.

“You’ve got to be calm. I know I have to come through for the team but you’ve got to be relaxed,” Bergren said. “It’s fantastic, it’s a great feeling. As a team any win like that coming behind like that is fantastic.”

The game-winning hit was especially sweet for Bergren, who entered the year coming off a monster junior season but has been struggling all spring and has been dropped to the No. 8 and No. 7 spots in the lineup.

“The poor kid has really been scuffling,” North Stars coach Todd Genke said. “I’m hoping that really springboards him into bigger and better things because we need him big time. This kind of win really springboards you as a team.”

St. Charles North (15-5, 9-2) already had been playing well, now winners of six straight. It was Batavia (7-12, 4-8) that outplayed them Tuesday in a game that started with cold temperatures and ended with cold temperatures plus a steady rain for the final four innings.

“This team doesn’t quit. It has been a rallying cry all season,” Genke said. “Batavia is a tough team. We are happy to have them in our conference. I knew coming over here they were going to be ready to play and they certainly were.”

Batavia starter Ben Allison didn’t let the conditions bother him. Munyon singled in a run for a 1-0 North Star lead in the third inning, but Allison stranded the bases in the same inning.

The Bulldogs defense played well behind him, including Jay Clark throwing out Bergren trying to steal and second baseman Braden Hrack diving to take a hit away up the middle, starting a 4-6-3 double play instead.

“Generally I was pleased with how we played,” Batavia coach Matt Holm said. “Our young guys are getting used to a little bit of varsity ball.”

Batavia took a 3-1 lead in the fourth inning against North Star starter Phil Warner. Steve Durham doubled in the first run. After a baserunning blunder on a Warner pickoff, No. 9 hitter Rob Bowman picked up his teammate with an RBI triple for a 2-1 lead. Steve Patterson followed with an opposite field RBI single to score Bowman and make it 3-1.

Durham (2-for-3) added his second RBI in the fifth on an infield hit to give the Bulldogs a 4-1 lead that they took into the seventh.

Allison allowed a leadoff triple to Smiley. With Allison’s pitch count up, Holm went to his bullpen and brought in Walsh who retired Andrew Elliot on an RBI groundout that made it 4-2.

A single to Munyon (3-for-4) and costly walks to Brodner and Jake Johansmeier loaded the bases. Walsh got a strikeout for the second out and quickly got Bergren in an 0-2 hole swinging at low curve balls.

After Bergren fouled off another curve, he waited back on a fourth straight curve and hit a line drive just fair inside the right-field line to score all 3 baserunners.

“Sometimes you get a good pitch to hit,” Bergren said. “It did not look so good (after the first two strikes). I was surprised he threw it (the curve) so many times in a row and luckily I was able to take advantage of it. I sat back and waited. It felt good. It was a big relief.”

Collin Peterson picked up his first win after throwing 1 1/3 scoreless innings of relief.

Allison fanned 7 and allowed just 2 runs to the hot-hitting North Stars in his 6 innings. Allison and Warner combined for 7 strikeouts on called third strikes.

“Ben pitched a great game,” Holm said. “This is the fifth game we have done that when we have had a lead and blown it. The guys don’t have the killer instinct.”

The series continues with games at St. Charles North Wednesday and back at Batavia Thursday. The Bulldogs are playing short-handed this week without outfielders Anthony Carby (sprained ankle) and Andrew Scaccia (back). Holm wasn’t sure when either will return.