Long layoff no deterrent as Larkin triumphs

The Larkin baseball team was hurting 8 days ago.

Tired and worn out, the Royals dropped a 5-4 game to St. Charles East on April 29 and things weren't looking good. Until, that is, rain and a school closing due to the H1N1 flu virus allowed Larkin plenty of time to rest up.

The Royals, eager to get back on the field after the long layoff, wasted little time Thursday, scoring 4 runs in the first inning and edging out Bartlett 8-7 for an Upstate Eight Conference victory in Elgin.

"We had 8 days off to get healthy," said Larkin shortstop Jon Meidel, who nailed a 3-run double in the first. "We were ready. Everyone was hitting,"

Although the Royals (13-11, 8-5) pulled off a victory the scene looked very bleak in the top of the second. Bartlett's George Tintera slammed a ball to deep right field, where Larkin right fielder Reid Ellis collided with the wall. A 40-minute delay resulted in an ambulance driving onto the field and Ellis being loaded onto a stretcher.

Larkin coach Matt Esterino said Ellis could have a lower back injury, but was not positive to the extent of the injury. He added that Ellis was moving OK before being loaded into the ambulance.

Making matters worse, Tintera's triple had cleared the bases scoring 3 runs and giving the Hawks (14-9, 9-6) a 6-4 advantage. Greg Partyka, the first batter up after the delay, took Larkin pitcher Luc Geier deep. The solo home run sailed onto McLean Blvd., easily clearing the 325-foot right field wall.

"We found his fastball early," Bartlett coach Chris Pemberton said. "We hit it and hit it with authority. We had one good inning, (Geier) had four or five better inning then we did."

After surrendering the 7 runs in the second, Geier (5-2) did not allow another run in the game. Bartlett finished with 6 of its 11 hits in the second inning and Geier struck out 7 batters before Brandon Anderson picked up the save, coming on in relief in the sixth.

"That's Luc," Esterino said. "He really wanted to beat these guys."

Geier got help as Larkin scored a pair of runs in both the second and fourth innings. Bartlett pitcher Mike Tomsovic (4-3) gave up a leadoff triple to Justin Kalusa in the fourth. Meidel (2-for-4, 3 runs, 4 RBI) promptly brought him home on an RBI single a batter later. Meidel then scored the go-ahead run off a well-placed sacrifice fly from Carlos Rojo.