Baseball: Second time the charm for Glenbard West
Glenbard West didn't have a hit - not even a baserunner - through three innings against Hinsdale Central starting pitcher Ayden Head.
Then came the fourth inning...and that ever-important second time through the lineup.
The Hilltoppers sent 12 batters to the plate and rallied for Monday's 7-3 West Suburban Silver baseball victory over Hinsdale Central in Glen Ellyn.
Head, who last week beat Silver favorite Lyons Twp., struck out the first seven batters he faced while retiring nine straight. Glenbard West (4-4, 2-1), trailing 3-0, started the bottom of the fourth with Tommy Bleker's sharp single, and the Hilltoppers took off from there powered by catcher David Dillman's 2-run double.
"We got a sense of what he had and kind of capitalized on that the second time through the order," Dillman said. "One after another, it just made it easier for us to keep the momentum going."
Winning pitcher Logan Ryan, who struck out seven in 6 innings before being relieved by Mitchell Moore for a scoreless seventh, added a sacrifice fly. Andrew Evangelista drove in a run with a bunt single and Bleker singled home a run in his second trip to the plate.
Multiple miscues in the field, including a dropped popup that allowed a run to score, prevented Hinsdale Central (3-7, 1-3) from getting back in the dugout. By the time the fourth inning ended Glenbard West led 6-3.
"Ayden threw an amazing first three innings, but they did a good job making adjustments the second time through," said Red Devils coach Jason Ziemer. "A couple breaks didn't go our way, and we didn't make some plays. Other teams take advantage of even the slightest mistake."
After Ryan stranded two third-inning runners, Danny Schaub put Hinsdale Central on the board in the top of the fourth with a 2-run homer. Will DeDobbelaere added an RBI single to give the Red Devils a 3-0 lead.
"Sometimes it takes a time through the order," said Hilltoppers coach Andy Schultz. "You never want to see seven straight strikeouts, but second time through the order worked out for us. We found a way to get the barrel on some baseballs."
Twitter: @kevin_schmit