Elk Grove 6, Palatine 4

Colin Semler came through with another extra-special delivery for Elk Grove on Tuesday afternoon.

Semler's two-out, 2-run homer to left field capped a wild 11th inning and suspended Mid-Suburban League baseball game as Elk Grove (11-9, 5-3) beat visiting Palatine 6-4.

Kevin Miller's one-out solo homer in the bottom of the eighth also tied the game as Elk Grove won its fourth straight MSL game and ninth in 12 tries overall to move within a game of East co-leaders Prospect and Rolling Meadows. Semler also had the game-winning single in the eighth inning last Wednesday at Hoffman Estates.

"When they put up 3 in the 11th, especially with a lefty (Kevin Becker) on the mound, it was looking pretty bleak," said Elk Grove coach Terry Beyna. "The fight the kids had really carried them through. They thought they were in it."

Becker came back to pitch after going the first 5 innings Friday when the scoreless game was suspended because of lightning. The Palatine (4-14, 3-5) junior gave up just 3 runs in 10½ innings overall.

An RBI single by Mike Luschen put the Pirates ahead 1-0 in the top of the eighth. A two-out, 3-run double by Matt Wieber (3-for-4) put them up 4-1 in the 11th.

Matt Martinski (2-for-5), who pitched 5-plus innings and threw 94 pitches when play resumed Tuesday, led off the Elk Grove 11th with a single. After an error and a flyout, Bryant Weber (2-for-5) hit an RBI double.

Palatine got a pop out but Chris D'Angelo (2-for-5) lined a tying 2-run double to left-center. Semler hit the next pitch over the fence in left.

Hoffman 6, BG 5: For the third straight time and fourth in the last 10 days, Hoffman (7-7, 3-5) played 8 innings. But this time, Mike Eisele's homer to leadoff the top of the eighth helped the Hawks erase two straight tough losses and improve to 6-1 in 1-run games in the MSL crossover at Buffalo Grove (7-7, 3-5).

Hoffman took a 5-1 lead with a 3-run seventh capped by Matt St. John's 2-run double. Starter Eric McGinnis was rolling along but BG rallied and tied it with two outs. St. John ended the threat with a bases-loaded strikeout and left the tying run at third in the eighth for the victory.

Meadows 6, Conant 1: In a battle of two of the area's top lefties, Meadows (10-4, 6-2) junior Jon Carlson helped his own cause with a 3-run double in the fifth of the MSL crossover off Conant (6-8, 3-5) senior Austin Wright.

Carlson allowed 4 hits and 1 earned run with 5 strikeouts and 5 walks in 6½ innings as Meadows moved into a first-place tie in the East with Prospect. Kevin Serna had a 2-run double in the second inning.

Wright (2-2) had 10 strikeouts and 4 walks in 4-plus innings. Bill Charvat went 3-for-3 with an RBI for Conant.

Barrington 15, Prospect 4: Gus Handler hit a pair of 3-run homers as Barrington (10-8, 5-3) pounded out 13 hits in the 5-inning MSL crossover win and stayed a game behind Schaumburg (12-4, 6-2) in the West. Handler went 3-for-4 and hit his first homer in the second inning as the Broncos jumped to a 9-0 lead.

Tim Conroy (2-for-3) hit a 2-run homer in the first and doubled. Russ Zeisloft doubled and had an RBI, Steve Janezic had an RBI, Chris Holke was 2-for-4 and leadoff man John Day drew 3 of 9 walks issued by Prospect (10-8, 6-2).

Tom Unak (4-2) didn't allow an earned run and gave up 6 hits with 4 strikeouts and 2 walks. Tim Scanlan was 2-for-3 for the Knights.