Baseball: Guthrie strong on the mound, but Willowbrook falls

Baseball is rarely linear or follows a logical path. The past is not always predictive of the future.

Just ask Willowbrook pitcher Joey Guthrie.

He did everything imaginable in slowing down a hard-hitting Maine South squad by limiting the Hawks to just 2 hits, striking out 4 and permitting just two walks.

His opposite number, Maine South southpaw Sam Corbett, was equally dynamic.

One game removed from an 11-run outburst, the Warriors managed only a seventh-inning run that left them just short in falling 2-1 in Park Ridge on Friday morning.

Guthrie (0-1) allowed only seven baserunners.

"I just tried to get out there and do what I do best, which is pounding the strike zone," Guthrie said. "I trusted my guys behind me, and they did a good job."

His accuracy and command kept the Hawks (6-2) off balance. Maine South was hitless after the first inning.

"I know I am not the hardest thrower out there, but I can locate the strike zone," Guthrie said. "My outside two-seam (fastball) worked really great, I had some excellent movement on it and my slider also was great.

"I threw a lot of first strikes, and that led me open to throwing whatever I wanted."

Willowbrook (3-3) generated only 2 hits, including an infield single by outfielder Sam Tumilty in the third inning. Designated hitter Anthony Yannotti led off the seventh with an opposite-field single.

With Isaac Gaines in as a runner, he advanced to third on an errant pickoff attempt and a sacrifice fly. He scored on a groundout by outfielder Scott Tumilty.

Corbett ran his record to 3-0 with the complete-game victory. He allowed just the two hits. Willowbrook hit the ball well but could not find the open spaces.

"This is baseball," Sam Tumilty said. "Sometimes you get a good piece of the ball but it goes right at them. (Corbett) was hitting his spots. He was pounding the fastball and he had good off-speed pitches and he was mixing them up pretty well.

"We have to keep getting better so we can hit guys like that."

Willowbrook managed to get runners in scoring position just three times. The closest Corbett got into a jam was the fifth after Scott Tumilty was hit by a pitch and Jack Nilles walked.

Facing runners at second and third with two outs, Corbett escaped by coaxing a foul out.

Despite the result Willowbrook coach Vic Wisner is encouraged by the early progress shown by his team.

"I really like where we are right now," he said. "We Have toughened up our schedule and seen a lot of good pitching. Our hitting is going to get there. Early on we have been putting it right on top of play.

"Today we hit the ball hard, but it was just at guys."