Windy doubleheader split for Willowbrook, Glenbard East
Willowbrook’s baseball team entered the top of the sixth inning looking for a run.
The Warriors emerged with six.
Willowbrook claimed its first win of the season with a 7-1 victory over rival Glenbard East in the opening game of a doubleheader Monday in Lombard. The Rams evened the day with a 3-2 Game 2 win.
On a blustery day that seemed destined for a low-scoring, 1-run result, Willowbrook (1-4) took advantage of 2 errors and a drawn-in infield to break a 1-1 sixth-inning tie. Cal Moltzan’s infield single made it 2-1, Steven Ferguson added a 2-run single and Tom Van Kooten broke it open with a bases-clearing double.
While the clutch hits clearly proved critical, errors opened the door. Only one of Willowbrook’s runs was earned, as was Glenbard East’s lone run.
“Once we got guys on base we just figured out what we had to do to win the game,” said Ferguson, who smacked his 2-run single up the middle with the infield in. “It feels pretty good, especially against our cross-town rival.”
Glenbard East (4-2) bounced back to win the second game by breaking a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the fifth inning. With the bases loaded and one out, Nick Vichio’s ground out drove in Chris Milligan for the go-ahead run.
Danny Ryan, in relief of starter Pat Walsh and winning pitcher Troy Huber, retired six straight Willowbrook batters to end the game.
After Glenbard East scored twice in the bottom of the second inning, the Warriors tied it with a pair of fourth-inning runs.
“We battled, and I was proud of the way we kept fighting,” said Glenbard East coach Joel Pelland. “They did a good job fighting through it. The bottom line is you’ve just got to make plays.”
Kurt Gitchell went 3-for-4 in the second game for Willowbrook while Van Kooten and Mike Rothmund had a pair of hits in the opener. Milligan and Greg Ludwig had 2 hits apiece in the first game for the Rams, and Mike Hansen and Zac Sadowski did the same in Game 2.
“The things that happened to them (in the first game) have been happening to us,” said Willowbrook coach Vic Wisner. “They were just patient. They had some good at-bats and made them make plays.”