Dundee-Crown lights it up against Larkin
High school baseball teams in Illinois are using new bats this season designed to lessen the liveliness of batted balls. The change had little effect on Dundee-Crown hitters Friday.
The Chargers collected 12 hits, including 2 home runs by junior Ryan Suwanski, to defeat Larkin 11-4 in the season opener for both teams in Elgin.
The game was tied 2-2 in the third inning when Suwanski got hold of a 1-0 fastball from Larkin starting pitcher Austin Royse and sent it over the fence in left-center field. He later keyed Dundee-Crown’s 4-run seventh inning with a 2-run rope to left.
Suwanski dedicated both home runs to his late grandmother, whose funeral he attended earlier in the day.
“That win was for her,” Suwanski said. “Those two home runs were for her. In my mind I was doing it for her.”
Larkin took the field without three starters, each suspended for the first 7 games of the season due to code violations. The Royals still managed 9 hits, but 4 came in the seventh inning which they entered trailing by 8 runs.
The Larkin defense committed 4 errors, including a fourth-inning gaffe with the bases loaded and two away that led to 2 unearned runs and a 5-2 deficit.
“I think we did some things well, but there were times when it looked like our first game,” Larkin coach Matt Esterino said. “We had some guys in different positions, guys in spots they haven’t hit in the order. I think we did some things well, but they hit the ball well and we had a couple of key errors that allowed them to add on.”
Dundee-Crown senior Erik Brewer earned the win with 84 pitches in 5 strong innings. The right-hander held the Royals to 2 runs (1 earned) on 4 hits. He struck out 5 and walked a pair.
“I felt good out there,” Brewer said. “It’s nice to start things out with a win.”
The victory was the first in the career of new Dundee-Crown coach Tom Parisi.
“The first one’s great to get out of the way,” Parisi said. “It’s a big win for these guys. We had contributions all around. Everybody hit, everybody put something into it. And Suwanny at the dish had 2 bombs. That’s always nice. It was a team effort. We hit the ball and we pitched well.”
Miami of Ohio recruit Jake Romano went 3-for-4 with a walk, a double and 3 runs, Mike Hazelhurst was 2-for-4 with a double, RBI and a run, and No. 9 hitter Garrett Ryan singled twice and scored twice for the Chargers.
Larkin’s Pete Lennard went 2-for-4 with a double and 2 runs, Niko Morado was 2-for-4 with a run driven in, and Brandon Avila was 3-for-4 with a double and RBI.
CL South 19, Marengo 0: The Gators pounded out 17 hits and three South pitchers combined for a 5-inning no-hitter in this nonconference win. Dom Winiecki (2-for-3, 2B, 3 RBI), Tommy Gaede (2-for-2, 3 RBI), Jordan VanDyck (3-for-4, 2 2Bs, RBI), Tyler Salm (3-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI), Will Ahsmann (2-for-3, 3B), Max Meitzler (2B) and Nick Severino (2B) led the offense. VanDyck got the win, going 3 innings with 6 strikeouts and 1 walk. Tyler Hall and Jake Byron each pitched an inning, allowing nothing and striking out all 6 batters they faced.