Conant responds to adversity, gets share of West lead

Defeats and deficits seem to bring out the best in Conant.

The Cougars started the week with a loss to Rolling Meadows. They were in a 2-run hole through 3½ innings of Friday's Mid-Suburban League baseball crossover with visiting Hersey.

But Conant (16-7, 8-3) responded to beat Hersey 6-3 as it ended the week with three straight MSL wins and moved into a tie for first place in the West with Fremd (14-7, 8-3).

"It's a nice little confidence booster going back to the West side," said left fielder Mitch Comstock, whose 2-run single in the fourth put Conant ahead to stay at 3-2.

"The entire year we've never given up and we've always been able to battle back," said Conant senior pitcher Derek Wojcik. "(Trailing) 2-0 was nothing compared to what we've faced before."

Wojcik (3-2) allowed 4 hits with 8 strikeouts and 4 walks and threw 101 pitches in 6 innings. Walt Wijas got the save with a 7-pitch seventh.

"Derek pitched great," said veteran Conant assistant coach Art Stevenson, who took over as head coach Jerry Song had to leave school because he was ill. "He definitely kept battling."

Hersey (13-12, 6-5), which fell 3 games behind Meadows in the East, took a 2-0 lead on 4 pitches in the fourth. Jake Knauss singled for the first hit, Chris Polinski doubled and Pat Hyde had a 2-run single.

Hersey left-hander Sal Locascio changed speeds to keep the Cougars off-balance into the fourth. But a leadoff bloop single by Joe Belmonte and a two-out error got them rolling.

"Suddenly we lost a little focus," said Hersey coach Bob Huber, "and it almost looked like we were so excited we got up 2-0, we thought we were going to win the game in the fourth inning."

Sean Smith and Mario Morrone (2-for-2) walked to force in a run and Comstock bounced a curveball up the middle for a 2-run single.

"I was trying to get the big hit for Derek to get him the 'W,'" Comstock said. "It's not how hard you hit it but where you hit it.

"With our lineup, we know if we can get a couple of walks and string a couple of hits together we'll be able to come back."

The Winona State-bound Wojcik blasted a long homer to left, his first of the year, to start a 3-run fifth. Bobby Colucci (2-for-3) doubled and Smith bounced a 2-out, 2-run single to center.

Hyde had an RBI single in the sixth and Hersey had the tying run at the plate but Wojcik ended the threat with a strikeout. Stevenson improved to 11-0 in regular-season and summer fill-in roles but more important, the Cougars are back in first when they host Schaumburg on Monday.

"That's been our story the entire year," Wojcik said. "We haven't given up and we've battled through everything because we're a tough team."

Prospect 3, Fremd 2: Prospect (11-13, 4-7) junior Jack Mullinex had only 1 strikeout but scattered 9 hits and allowed only 1 walk as he went the distance in the MSL crossover at Fremd (14-7, 8-3).

"He had a Mark Buehrle type of game," Prospect coach Ross Giusti said in comparison to the White Sox ace. "He was getting his breaking pitches over and throwing his off-speed stuff for strikes."

Matt Johnsen had 12 strikeouts for Fremd, which hosts red-hot Palatine on Monday, but got the loss on an unearned run in the seventh.

Thomas Kelly had a leadoff pinch-hit double, John Coen walked with one out and Kelly scored on an error on Miles Osei's potential inning-ending double-play ball.

Prospect scored 2 runs in the third on Osei's two-out double and RBI singles by Jason Leblebijian and Peter Bonahoom. Right fielder John Coen also made a big diving catch with a runner on first and one out in the seventh.

Meadows 10, Hoffman 1: Jon Carlson (6-0) threw a 3-hitter with 12 strikeouts and 3 walks for Rolling Meadows (13-11, 9-2) in the MSL crossover at Hoffman Estates (7-17, 3-7). Carlson now has 95 strikeouts in 54 innings.

Dan Wenzel went 3-for-3, Dan Lauria, Teddy Metzger and Carlson had 2 hits and Ben Kamperschroer homered for the Mustangs. They can clinch a share of the East title and the MSL title game berth with a win Monday at Hersey.

Palatine 11, Wheeling 1: Kevin Becker threw a 2-hitter as Palatine (13-12, 7-4) won its ninth straight overall and seventh in a row in the MSL to move within a game of first in the West in the 6-inning win over Wheeling (2-22, 1-9).

Mike Luschen (3 RBI), Byron Skinner (2 RBI), Cody Bobbit, Jim Smearman, Dan Haze, Tom Galvan and Andy Prombo had 2 hits for the Pirates.

Schaumburg 9, BG 0: Dave Compitello threw a 5-hitter with 9 strikeouts and 2 walks for Schaumburg (11-11, 5-6) in the MSL crossover with Buffalo Grove (9-14, 4-7). Anthony Solmo and Mike Mistrata had 3 hits and Connor McHugh and Joe Infusino drove in 2 runs for the Saxons.

Barrington 6, Elk Grove 3: Broncos starter Tom Unak tossed a complete-game 8-hitter and worked out of trouble in the third inning as Barrington (14-9, 6-5) earned an MSL crossover win.

The Broncos led 4-0 when Elk Grove threatened to tie the game in the top of the third. The Grens had already scored 3 runs and had a 2-run double by Donny Duschinsky, but the rally ended when it was ruled Duschinsky left third base too early while trying to score on a sacrifice fly.

Unak struck out six and walked only two in improving to 5-1.

Colin Semler went 2-for-4 for Elk Grove (17-11, 4-7) and Chris Holke doubled and went 2-for-4 for Barrington.