Holmes a mystery to Naperville North
Wheaton Warrenville South baseball coach Tim Brylka thought early Tuesday afternoon that starting pitcher Baylor Holmes was going to have a strong outing against visiting Naperville North.
“After the second inning he looked like he would have a day,” Brylka said of the sophomore. “He’s coming off an ankle injury. He missed a start against West Aurora but pitched a couple of innings on Saturday against Waubonsie Valley.”
Holmes set Naperville North down in order in the first but cut his pitch count in half during the second inning, making it nother 1-2-3 inning. Naperville North’s first baserunner didn’t reach until the fourth, and Holmes had a no-hitter through five innings. He allowed just two hits while striking out four.
That and nine hits from the WW South batting order resulted in a 4-0 Tigers victory that forces a series rubber game Wednesday back at Naperville North.
“I felt good. With the ankle injury, I was worried about reinjuring it, but I settled in and threw strikes,” Holmes said. “All day I was thinking about us tying the series. We want to come back and have a chance at the DVC, which is one of our goals.”
The Tigers (10-7, 2-3 DuPage Valley Conference) got on the scoreboard first during the third inning. Zach Kyllonen led off with a walk, and Matt Walsh connected on his second basehit of the afternoon to bring him home.
WW South had opportunities to score during the first two innings, but Naperville North starting pitcher Brock Borgeson was strong Tuesday, especially early in the contest.
With one out in the first, Borgeson allowed singles to Kyllonen and Walsh. He got a strikeout and then walked Ryan Kelly. He then went to 3-2 on the next hitter before getting him to look at a called third strike. He kept the Tigers scoreless in the second and fifth and responded to giving up a basehit in each inning with a strikeout.
“I thought (Borgeson) did a great job. Wheaton Warrenville South had some timely hits and ran the bases well,” said Naperville North coach Carl Hunckler. “And I don’t know of any high school team with just two hits that is going to win a game.”
Borgeson also went the distance and struck out seven.
The Tigers made it 3-0 in the fourth. Matt Sturgeon collected two of his three RBI on the day with a double to center that scored Mitch Krafcheck, who had also doubled, and Kevin Giltz, who had walked.
The final WW South run came in the sixth when Mike Marcheschi hit the team’s third double of the contest and scored on Sturgeon’s single to center.
Naperville North (5-11, 1-4) broke up the no-hitter in the sixth when Marques Winick single to right. In the seventh Pat Mollo doubled with two outs and Conner Adamski walked before Holmes shut things down for good.
“We’ll get back at it tomorrow. We have a chance to get the series,” Hunckler said.