Brown’s big stick helps Lakes stay in the hunt
The rise of Jacob Brown, from varsity promotion as a sophomore last year to his ascent to the top of Lakes’ batting order, continued Friday.
Brown elevated a pitch.
The junior whacked a changeup from Wauconda pitcher Erik Maki high in the air and deposited it over the left-field fence for a 2-run homer.
“I left it up,” Maki said. “I left it down the middle and it came inside on him.”
Brown’s blow turned out to be the deciding hit in visiting Lakes’ 6-1 win that kept the Eagles tied atop the North Suburban Prairie Division standings with Antioch at 5-1. Lakes (12-9) hosts Antioch in a 9 a.m. doubleheader today.
Wauconda, which plays at Vernon Hills at 10 a.m. today, fell to 10-8 and 5-2.
Lakes junior righty Chris Hoffman pitched a complete game in improving to 3-1.
“Big game,” Lakes coach Ray Gialo said. “Big weekend.”
Big game for Brown.
The Eagles’ leadoff hitter went 2-for-3 with a pair of walks, 3 runs scored and a stolen base. After starting the season in the No. 7 hole, Brown has settled in at the top of the order and is admittedly more comfortable in his second varsity season.
“He was hitting too well to stay down there (at No. 7),” Gialo said.
Brown led off the game with a base on balls, and the Western Illinois-bound Maki walked the bases full with only out before yielding an RBI groundout to Nick Traska.
Lakes’ Brandon Grant drew a free pass leading off the second and, two outs later, Brown jacked his third home run of the season.
“I knew it was gone,” Brown said with a smile. “He threw me change-ups back-to-back.”
Maki left after 5 innings, having had mixed results. The 6-foot-4 righty struck out 10 — but also allowed 5 runs (all earned) and 5 hits, while walking five and hitting a batter.
“At the beginning I was having trouble with my release point,” Maki said. “I started getting it down toward the end of the game.”
“He’s got a good curveball,” Brown said. “He never threw it to me, though. He just threw me change-ups and fastballs.”
Hoffman pitched efficiently for Lakes. He scattered 5 hits (all singles), struck out four and walked just one.
Brown made a diving stop in the hole at shortstop to get a forceout and turned a 6-3 double play to end the game.
“Their guy pitched great,” Wauconda coach Bill Sliker said of Hoffman. “He wasn’t really overpowering, but they made some good defensive plays on us. He attacked the zone and made us make outs.”Kyle Noon (2-for-3, walk) smacked a 2-run single off Maki in the fourth to make it a 5-1 game. John O#146;Connor added an RBI single in the seventh for Lakes.The Eagles were coming off a 15-9 loss to Lake Forest in which they failed to protect an early 4-0 lead.#147;I thought our guys did a great job of bouncing back,#148; Gialo said. #147;We came out ready to play. It was a little tight in our dugout, but when Brown hit that 2-run homer, it kind of loosened things up for us.#148;Maki#146;s two-out RBI single in the third pulled Wauconda within 3-1, but Hoffman retired the next 11 batters he faced before one-out single by Shawn Sundquist in the Wauconda seventh.#147;He changed speeds really well, hit his locations and kept the ball down,#148; Gialo said of Hoffman. #147;(Wauconda#146;s) top of the lineup (Brandon Gibis, Jake Ziolkowski, Maki) hit the ball really well, but he didn#146;t back down. He kept challenging those guys. It was a gutsy performance. We#146;ve been playing every day, and we#146;re running short of pitching, with two (games today), so we needed a complete game.#148;Wauconda had an especially tough day. Catcher Cody Rapier got hurt in the top of the first inning and couldn#146;t continue.Earlier in the week, catcher Ryan Gick got hurt before Wauconda#146;s game against Stevenson, and Sliker reported that Gick had surgery Thursday to repair a torn lateral meniscus.#147;(Rapier) tried to slide on a ball and his knee buckled on him,#148; Sliker said. #147;He tried to gut it out. He did a great job. He just couldn#146;t go.#148;