Arden comes up aces for Antioch
Antioch senior Dan Arden showed during the football season that he can run.
On Saturday, the all-area fullback showed that he can throw.
Arden pitched a complete-game 1-hit shutout, leading the Sequoits’ baseball team to a 2-0 win over visiting Waukegan in their season opener.
Arden struck out seven and didn’t walk a batter. He got offensive support from Adam Warner, who doubled twice and knocked in a run, and Matt DeJong, who also had a double and an RBI.
Wauconda 10, Marengo 8: Jake Ziolkowski’s senior year of football ended in the middle of the season because of a broken wrist.
He showed that he’s healthy in the Bulldogs’ season-opening baseball game, as the varsity veteran went 3-for-3.
Jeff Lindberg also had 3 hits for Wauconda, while Brandon Gibis went 2-for-4. James Holub earned the win.
Mundelein 19, Mather 0: Torr Randau doubled twice, as the host Mustangs improved to 3-0.
Mundelein also got doubles from Chris Maranto, Ryan Borucki and Thomas Gandolfi. Matt Langlie was the winning pitcher.
Lake Zurich 9, Fremd 4: Purdue-bound Mike Lutz allowed 3 runs (all earned) over 6 innings, earning the win in the Bears’ season opener.
The senior right-hander struck out eight, walked one and issued 5 hits.
“When Lutz goes out there, we know we’re going to hold the opposing team down,” Lake Zurich coach Gary Simon said.
James DeGeorge paced the Bears’ 9-hit attack, going 3-for-3 with 2 doubles and 2 runs scored. Sean Eder (double), John Orlando and Tanner Kiser each drove in 2 runs for Lake Zurich.
Vernon Hills 16, Chicago Academy 0: The Cougars improved to 3-0 by beating what coach Jay Czarnecki called a “much-improved” Chicago Academy squad.
For the second time in as many days, a Crowley earned the win for the Cougars. This time, it was senior MJ following up his kid brother Pat by pitching 3 innings, allowing no runs on 2 hits, 1 walk and 3 strikeouts.
Steven Nelson threw the final 2 innings, retiring all the batters that he faced. Nelson helped the cause by going 2-for-3 with 3 RBI. Butler-bound Chris Marras added 2 hits, including a double, and 2 RBI. Jarrett Henson made the most of his first varsity at-bat, as he doubled to deep left-center and knocked in two.
John Foley, MJ Crowley, Austin Hagen, Pat Crowley and Eric Lang all also had hits.
Hoffman Estates 6, Libertyville 5: Brian Cvitkovich singled in the game-winning run in the bottom of the seventh for the Hawks.
Ethan Bloom and Mike Gordon homered for Hoffman Estates, and Kevin Grudzinski led off the game with a triple and later singled and scored. Grudzinski got the win in relief.
Anthony Mack had a single and an RBI double in the seventh for Libertyville in its season opener.