Waubonsie Valley bats come alive
So far this season, life hasn’t been all that great for the Waubonsie Valley baseball team on offense.
The Warriors (3-4) have been shut out three times, so Wednesday afternoon’s 4-0 win over visiting Naperville North and the scoring production the Warriors showed was something to be savored.
“It’s encouraging. It came down to execution in the fifth and we got it done,” said Warriors coach Dan Fezzuoglio. “Hitting breeds confidence and energy, and that’s what we needed to have.”
Waubonsie scored all of its runs during the fifth on three hits. James Palasz started the inning off with a single to right followed by a walk to Zac Steele. A well-placed bunt by Sean Grannan loaded the bases.
Tim Gillund’s RBI groundout scored Palasz.
Next came Austin Dixon, who laid down another well-placed bunt. Naperville North starting pitcher Mariano Long was forced to get the out by tagging Dixon on his way to first, scoring Steele.
“In practice we work on bunting, and I was lucky the situation came up for me and fortunately I got it down,” Dixon said.
“Austin getting it to two runs was so important,” Fezzuoglio said.
The Warriors weren’t done in the inning. Tyler Hasper’s single to center scored Grannan and winning pitcher Troy Fumagalli’s two-out single to left scored Hasper.
Before the fifth Waubonsie had earned just one hit and two baserunners. Fumagalli walked in the first and Palasz reached base on an infield hit in the second.
Long sent the Warriors down in order in the second, third, fourth and sixth innings. He struck out four.
Fumagalli bumped his record to 2-0. He allowed five hits and also struck out three. Reliever Ryan Vasicek sent Naperville North down in order in the seventh.
“It was a relief (having a lead). Having just one run is great. I rely a lot on the defense. The guys are great out there,” Fumagalli said.
An example of that defense came in the third when a relay of left fielder Grannan to third baseman Palasz to catcher Tyler Josupait tagged a Naperville North runner out at home plate.
Naperville North (3-6) stranded eight runners with five in scoring position.
“We had a lot of opportunities with two outs and got no two-out hits,” Naperville North coach Carl Hunckler said. “One inning is typical how you win a game. We needed a strikeout, make a play. There were two pitchers that were pitching very well.”
Waubonsie Valley takes on its first Upstate Eight Conference opponent of 2012 today with a 4:30 p.m. crossover game at Streamwood.
Naperville North plays host to Marmion on Saturday before opening DuPage Valley Conference play Monday at Wheaton North.