Baseball: Sparked by Costello’s homer, Barrington rallies past Fremd

Barrington catcher Ryan Costello has been finding his groove.

The senior drilled an opposite-field 3-run homer to left that went just over the Bronco logo as Barrington rallied for a 9-5 win over Fremd on Monday in Barrington.

The game was suspended by lightning in the top of the seventh with one out. After a 20-minute wait, it was eventually called a complete game

Costello’s homer sparked a 7-run fourth inning as the Broncos (11-8, 4-1) erased a 4-0 deficit.

“He has been throwing fastballs early all day,” Costello said. “So he threw me a first pitch fastball and I was ready. I knew it had a good chance when I hit it. It was my first home run in a couple of years and something I will never forget.”

Fremd (13-6, 1-4), which was supposed to host Monday’s game until the morning rains forced the move to Barrington, jumped to a 3-0 lead in top of the first.

Chase Nelson walked and Declan Gallicho singled before Will Graba’s long double scored Nelson. Gallicho later scored on an infield error and Emerson Cardoza, who was a courtesy runner for Graba, scored on a Stathi Regopoulos sacrifice fly to make it 3-0.

The Vikings added another run in the second when Jacob Sanchez, who walked, scored on Nelson’s fielder’s choice.

Barrington, which left two runners on base in the third, put things together offensively in its half of the fourth.

Will Stefens reached on an error. Andrew Whitney followed with a single and Tommy Abbatemarco walked to load the bases. Bowie Heintz doubled off the base of the wall to dead center to drive in two runs. Costello followed with his homer and suddenly Barrington was up 5-4.

“We just were able to keep the offense moving,” said Barrington coach Paul Belo. “And then a catcher, who has really earned the right to have that opportunity, and then stepping up in that opportunity and putting it over the wall. That was awesome.”

The Broncos added to the scoring barrage that inning when Max Wrzeszcz singled and scored on Zach Ostergaard’s triple. Jackson Roberts drove him home with a single to make it 7-4.

Barrington pitcher Dylan Ignacek settled down after the second inning and kept Fremd at bay. That enabled the Broncos to climb back into the game and take the lead.

“I feel like I didn’t have my command and missing my spots in the first inning,” said Ignacek, who went six innings to improve to 4-1 on the season.

“I trusted that my guys would get us back in the game. I was able to settle down and it was awesome when we hit those seven runs.”

Barrington got Ignacek two more runs in the sixth.

With two outs, Roberts singled for his second hit of the day. He came racing home on Steffens second double of the afternoon. Whitney drove him in on his second hit of the game to make it 9-4.

Fremd tried to rally in the top of the seventh.

Graba belted a long homer to right on his third hit of the game to make it 9-5. But after a Fremd walk, the officials halted the game when lightning was seen.

“It’s a good win for us,” said Belo, whose team broke a modest two-game losing streak.

“Obviously we would have like to have finished the game. We thought there was a window to play.”

Fremd coach Chris Piggott said his team has to be able to protect a lead.

“Credit to Barrington for not rolling over,” Piggott said. “They competed and didn't let us extend our lead. This has been the story of our season. We get a lead and then let teams back in it. We have the ability because we get leads, but need to be more consistent on the mound, defensively and at the plate. We will figure it out. We want to hit our peak at the end of May not the end of April.”