Mettetal brothers lift St. Charles N. over Geneva
Zach Mettetal couldn't quite help his brother Tyler close out a win over Geneva in the top of the seventh, so Zach made his second chance count in the bottom of the inning.
Mettetal's ground ball with the bases loaded scored Kyle Novotney to give the North Stars a 2-1 win Wednesday in St. Charles.
It looked like St. Charles North (7-0, 2-0) would have a 1-0 win and Tyler Mettetal a shutout until Zach's 2-out error at shortstop in the top of the seventh put Vikings at first and third.
Bret Reed, who pitched a gem for Geneva, beat out an infield hit to Zach Mettetal, scoring Jack Wassel who had started the rally with a single to tie the game 1-1.
"It was kind of ironic that he got the winning hit after he got those tough ground balls," said Tyler Mettetal, who allowed 5 hits and 1 walk while striking out three in 7 innings. "It was an experience (going 7). My arm felt great and coach put me out there."
Reed had only allowed 1 hit through 6 innings, but Novotney singled with 1 out in the bottom of the seventh and Reed hit John LeGare. Tyler Mettetal reached on an infield single to load the bases with 1 out.
Zach Mettetal hit a hard grounder to Wassel at short but Wassel looked at second for a potential double play instead of throwing home. Nobody was covering second so Wassel threw for the out at first base while Novotney came in with the winning run.
"Miscommunication on the last play," Geneva coach Matt Hahn said. "We wanted to squeeze the middle and he (Wassel) thought turn a double play instead of coming home. I told Jack in that situation I can't think of another kid I've coached I'd want the ball hit to."
Wassel, who also doubled in the first inning, was the only Viking with 2 hits.
Geneva (1-4, 0-2) ran itself out of a couple scoring chances. The first came in the fifth in a 0-0 game. On a sacrifice bunt that advanced a runner to second, St. Charles North center fielder Brendan Joyce snuck in to cover the base while the runner rounded too far toward third. North Stars first baseman Cory Wright threw to Joyce for an unusual double play.
"It's just a heads-up play by BJ (Joyce)," North Stars coach Todd Genke said. "We teach our outfielders to come in and be part of the play on a bunt situation if they can. Him and Cory wink-wink a little there and he snuck in and made a play. At that position of the game that's huge. We have a lot of kids on this team that have great baseball IQs."
"I have seen it but it's been awhile," Hahn said. "I think we fell asleep a little and heads-up on their part. I think we lost track of where everybody was defensively."
The Vikings then had runners at first and second in the sixth with 1 out but lined to Zach Mettetal who doubled the runner off second.
Davis, relying almost exclusively on a fastball that he located well all game, struck out four and only walked one. That one walk to LeGare leading off the fifth eventually gave the North Stars a 1-0 lead when he scored on an infield error.
"His (Reed's) fastball moves a ton," Genke said. "I give him credit. He didn't deserve to lose. We executed at the end. That's what good teams do, they find a way to win."
Weather permitting, the teams conclude their three-game series Thursday at Geneva.
"We made one or two too many mistakes but I like the way we played overall," Hahn said. "A lot of positives. Bret pitched great. Gave us a chance to win in the seventh against one of the best teams in the area. You can't ask for much more out of your senior pitcher."