Baseball: Baumann's no-hitter lifts Carmel
Chris Baumann pitched a no-hitter for Carmel Catholic's baseball team, as the Corsairs beat host Marist 1-0 in Game 1 of an East Suburban Catholic Conference doubleheader on Saturday.
Baumann, a 6-foot-1 senior right-hander, struck out five and walked four. He was perfect through 4⅓ innings before issuing his first walk.
"The thing that made this so special was that we went into the day tied with Marist for second place, one game behind the league leader (Notre Dame)," Carmel coach Bill Taylor said. "Neither team could afford a loss, so the pressure to win was enormous."
Marist threatened in the bottom of the seventh after a leadoff error led to the hitter reaching second base. Marist loaded the bases with one out after back-to-back walks before Baumann pitched out of the jam.
"Throwing a no-hitter is always special," Taylor said. "But there is something about doing it in a 1-0 pitchers duel that makes it even memorable."
Kyle Bucsa scored the only run of the game after leading off the fifth inning with a walk. Bucsa scored on an RBI single by Austin Ehren. Ehren and Joe Santoro both finished 2-for-4 for the Corsairs. Cooper Johnson (1-for-2, walk) had Carmel's only other hit.
Carmel also won the second game, 10-0, to improve to 16-9 and 11-5 in the ESCC. Eddie Pietschmann pitched a complete-game 2-hitter.
Griffin Norton was 2-for-3 for the Coersairs, and Matt Collins was 1-for-3 with 3 RBI.
Wauconda 5, Palatine 0: In his first start of the season, Kevin Malisheski pitched 5 innings of 1-hit ball, striking out nine and walking two, as the visiting Bulldogs won in nonconference action.
Korey Soetaert pitched the final 2 innings for Wauconda, as he and Malisheski combined on a 3-hitter. Malisheski, who underwent ACL surgery late last fall, was making just his third mound appearance of the season.
Luke Weller had a double for Wauconda, which got RBI from Trevor Sefcik (1-for-3, 2 runs, 3 stolen bases), Collin Shrader, Jacob Bicknase and John Herbst.
Mundelein 6, Fremd 4: Jake Breitenreiter was 2-for-3 with 2 RBI doubles, as the Mustangs improved to 22-7.
Steven A. Sanchez picked up the win.
Vernon Hills 4, Reavis 3: The host Cougars won the nonconference game in their last at-bat.
The score was knotted at 3-3 in the bottom of the seventh when Brendan Keogh reached on a two-base error. Tony Brown (1-for-1, run) then reached on a bunt as well as, moving pinch runner Drew Winegardner to third. Reavis then intentionally walked Nick Marras (1-for-3, double) to load the bases with none out.
Reavis retired Matt Gramins (double, RBI), but Joe Rangel hit a sacrifice fly to center field to drive in Winegardner for the winning run.
Brad Larsen started and threw 3 innings, allowing 3 runs (1 earned) on 5 in hits, while striking out one and walking one. Andrew Smith earned the win in relief, throwing 4 innings and allowing no runs on 3 hits, striking out two and walking none.
Grant 13, Buffalo Grove 3: The host Bulldogs got solo home runs from Ben Kusiak and Ricky Allen and a 3-run shot from James Pendley in improving 17-12.
Nick Burgess pitched 3 innings (0 earned runs, 3 strikeouts) to earn the win. Kusiak also walked and had a sacrifice fly. Pendley was 4-for-4 with a double as well.
Lakes 15, Marengo 3: Stephen Mogged (3-for-3, double, RBI, 2 runs, stolen base) and Max Swiatek (2-for-2, double, 4 RBI, 3 runs) led the way offensively for the Eagles (12-14) in their nonconference win.
Tim Ohlwein allowed 1 earned run and 7 hits in 5 innings, striking out six and walking one.
Grayslake Central 8, Von Steuben 3: Ryan Ford had 2 hits and 3 RBI, and Jake Dooley collected 2 hits and 2 RBI in leading the host Rams to the nonconference victory.
It was the Rams' 16th win on the season and seventh in their last eight games. Winning pitcher Sam Ruhlmann also added a double as he and a number of Ram pitchers combined on a 4-hitter with 6 strikeouts.