Baseball: Barrington stays hot with win over Fremd
Barrington is finding its way.
The Broncos, who struggled at the beginning of the season, won their fifth game in their last six outings Wednesday 5-1 over Fremd in Palatine.
“I think we had a tough schedule to start,” Barrington coach Pat Wire said. “Our guys are buying into our three principles. Those are have a plan, out-hustle people and chase the pitcher. In the beginning we weren’t working on our plan and we were reacting to a lot of things. Early we were a reactionary team. Now we are anticipating where the play is going and that has slowed the game down.”
The timing for that anticipation couldn’t be better for Barrington (13-6-1, 6-2). They are playing their best baseball headed into weekend games with Wheeling and Whitney Young before a huge two-game series with MSL West leader Conant (14-3, 7-1) next week.
“I think the league is a lot better across the board,” Wire said. “Anytime you go against Fremd or Palatine or Conant or Schaumburg or Hoffman, it is always going to be a war.”
Fremd (5-11, 3-5), which dropped a 3-1 decision to Barrington on Monday, showed they were ready for Wednesday’s clash.
The Vikings got a solid first two innings out of starter Jack Crihfield, who fanned five in that span. Fremd was able to grab a 1-0 lead as Matthew Cabrales singled home Tommy Shintaku, who was hit by a pitch after two outs.
That lead didn’t last long as Barrington struck for four runs in their half of the third.
Conor Fitzpatrick reached on a two-base error. He would later score on a balk to tie the game 1-1.
Dillon Fitzpatrick singled, Patrick Podlesnik was hit by a pitch and Tommy Abbatamanco drew a two-out walk to load the bases. John Albrecht drilled a double over the left fielder’s head to clear the bases and make it 4-1.
“I was in the on-deck circle and I just knew,” Albrecht said. “I have been seeing the ball well.”
With the lead, Podlesnik, who fanned four in the first two innings, settled into his game even further. He would throw the next three innings, striking out five more Vikings to finish with 10 for the game.
“I felt great,” Podlesnik said. “Before the game, my arm felt live. I thought I spotted well and the ump was giving us a little bit outside of the zone, so you have to use it.”
Barrington added an insurance run in the seventh. Connor Fitzpatrick singled and came home on brother Dillon’s double.
While Barrington was able to push runs across the plate, Fremd struggled to do so. The Vikings left two runners on base in each of the final three innings.
Fremd coach Chris Piggott, whose team has scored three or less runs in 10 games this season, said Wednesday’s game typified the season thus far.
“This game was our season in a nutshell,” Piggott said. “Every error seems to hurt us. Every walk seems to come back and bite us. It just has been a struggle, it’s just how it has been, it’s not from lack of effort. It is just struggling right now.”