Timely hitting helps Cary-Grove beat Fremd
The Cary-Grove and Fremd baseball teams each put plenty of runners on base during Thursday’s balmy season opener in Cary, but the host Trojans won the nonconference game 11-5 because they delivered big hits when it mattered.
After Fremd rallied for 2 runs in the top of the fourth inning to tie the game 3-3, Cary-Grove responded in its half of the fourth with 4 runs on 4 hits against a Fremd reliever. The Trojans then scored 4 more runs on 5 hits in the fifth inning to take a commanding 11-3 lead.
Cary-Grove left 6 runners on base. The Vikings stranded 10, including 7 in scoring position.
“We left too many guys on base early in the game,” said Fremd coach Chris Piggot, whose team did not score in the second inning despite loading the bases with one out. “We were getting baserunners. We just couldn’t come up with the big hit, and they did. I think that was a key difference in the game.”
The Trojans smacked 5 of their 13 hits for extra bases. Three of those extra basehits were thumped the opposite way by right-handed hitters, much to the approval of their coach.
“I liked the way we approached that right-center gap,” Cary-Grove coach Don Sutherland said after his 25th season opener. “That was the most impressive thing in my eyes, that we took that right-center approach instead of trying to pull the ball.”
Cary-Grove graduated seven of eight position players from its 2011 Sweet 16 team, but the lone holdover came up with arguably the game’s biggest hit. Senior Matt Byrne, a left-handed hitter, muscled a 3-2, bases-loaded fastball from Fremd relief pitcher Tim Polak into right field for a 2-run single and a 5-3 lead.
“I just tried to fight it off and get the best I possibly could out of it,” Byrne said. “It turned out to be a nice little hit.”
Junior Jeremy Vasquez followed with a 2-run triple to the wall in right center, making it 7-3.
Byrne, Vasquez, junior Zach Marszal and senior Dylan McDonough each delivered RBI hits in the fifth inning to blow the game open and make a winner of pitcher Ryan Kaveney, who relieved starter Matt Dunlap. Kaveney held the Vikings to 2 runs on 4 hits in 4 innings. He struck out 4 and walked a batter.
Neither starting pitcher figured in the decision. Dunlap gave up 3 runs (2 earned) on 4 hits in 3 innings. He struck out 3, walked 4 and hit a batter. Fremd starter Jack Andersen gave way to Polak after 3 innings. Andersen allowed 3 runs on 4 hits. He struck out 4, walked a batter and hit another.
Andersen’s nemesis was Cary-Grove No. 5 hitter Andrew Brierton. The junior hurt Andersen with a 2-run double in the first inning and a solo home run to right center in the third that staked Cary-Grove to a 3-1 lead. Both hits came with two outs.
“That was frustrating. I left a few pitches up,” said Andersen, whose record last year was 4-2. “It’s something I need to work on. I have to get ahead in the count and locate my fastball and changeup and keep them off balance.”
Fremd leadoff hitter Keith Browning drew 3 walks and scored twice, and No. 2 hitter Zack Kolakowski went 3-for-4 with a run scored.
Byrne finished 2-for-4 with 3 RBI and 2 runs scored, Vasquez went 3-for-4 with 3 RBI and a run and Brierton was 2-for-4 with a home run, double and 3 RBI.
“I’ve been working really hard all winter and it paid off,” Brierton said.
CL South 7, Boylan 4: The Gators opened the season behind a big effort from Max Meitzler, who was 2-for-3 with 2 home runs and 6 RBI in this nonconference win. Dom Winiecki was 3-for-3 for the Gators and Will Ahsmann added a triple. Zack Geib picked up the win, allowiung 5 hits and 4 earned runs in 6 innings. He struck out 3 and walked 2.
College baseball
Wheaton 9, Judson 7: Judson’s 12-game winnin streak came to an end at the hands of Division III Wheaton College. Nick Norris was 3-for-4 for the Eagles (14-5), while Johnny Amann (2 RBI) and Josh Raymond (3 RBI) each had 2 hits. Billy Wright extended his hitting streak to 12 straight games for Judson with a hot for 2 RBI. Craig Lipp suffered the pitching loss.