Landi, Geneva snap St. Charles North’s streak
In his first start of the year, Tony Landi gave Geneva what it had to have.
On the heels of a loss to Elgin and trailing red-hot St. Charles North and St. Charles East in the Upstate Eight Conference River Division race, the Vikings needed a stopper Friday in St. Charles.
Landi got the job done, striking out the side in the first inning on his way to throwing a 2-hit shutout over 6 innings. Closer Matt Williams came in and retired the side in order in the seventh for his fourth save, nailing down the 2-0 victory and snapping the North Stars’ 11-game winning streak.
“My off-speed stuff (was working), I didn’t throw a lot of fastballs,” said Landi, now 2-1. “I just tried to keep the ball down. (Catcher) John (Swiderski) called a great game.”
Geneva (17-5, 10-5) didn’t get much going either against St. Charles North (16-8, 10-4) starter Jake Johansmeier (3-2).
Jake Weede led off the third inning with a single, took second on a bunt by Bobby Hess, third on an infield hit by Matt Brandys and scored on a line single to center by Williams.
That was the only offense in the game until the seventh when Geneva scored an unearned insurance run. Mitch Endriukaitis, who had singled with one out, scored on a two-out error.
“That run we gave up in the seventh really hurt especially with Williams coming in there,” North Stars coach Todd Genke said.
The North Stars’ best chance came in the third after walks to Andrew Kronke and Brandon Drawant. Jake Smiley ripped a ball to right but it was right at Hess.
The Vikings made several outstanding defensive plays. Endriukaitis at second raced far back in right for a catch. First baseman Anthony Bragg snared a line drive and also scooped a tough throw. And Hess saved a run in the fourth with a diving catch in right field to take what looked like a sure hit away from Erik Nelson.
That variety of players making key plays summed up the kind of total team effort Geneva turned in.
“Just kind of a wake-up call for us,” Swiderski said of Thursday’s loss to Elgin. “We just brought everybody together.”
St. Charles North had its own defensive star. Catcher Nick Gilmore threw out three would-be Geneva basestealers, but it wasn’t enough to keep their winning streak alive.
“I’ll take 11 out of 12 any day,” Genke said. “I think the law of averages caught up with us today. We hit some balls on the screws. They made some very tremendous plays defensively. and their kid on the mound threw the ball very well. We had a couple chances and they made the plays defensively that saved the game.”
Williams worked a 1-2-3 seventh, striking out the first two batters before one more dazzling defensive play by third baseman Andy Francis.
“Toni was phenomenal,” said Geneva coach Matt Hahn whose team hosts Batavia in a doubleheader Saturday. “The key was he was ahead of almost every hitter. I can’t say enough about John Swiderski behind the plate. He’s our captain, he handles himself so well back there.”