Wrap: Metzger, Mustangs stop Saxons

A self-defense grab of a line drive helped Rolling Meadows junior Teddy Metzger literally survive the first 3 innings Monday.

Metzger thrived the rest of the way in a crisp pitcher's duel with Schaumburg lefty Andy Brandt. Metzger got his second win in as many varsity starts as catcher Ben Sabal's sixth-inning homer gave host Meadows a 2-1 Mid-Suburban League crossover baseball victory.

"Wow," Sabal said after Metzger scattered 9 hits and had 2 strikeouts and 2 walks. "He's been kind of struggling at shortstop, but he shut down Stevenson and now Schaumburg. Those are two of the best hitting teams around here."

Meadows (7-4, 4-2) coach Jim Lindeman wanted to go with lefty Jon Carlson. He shut out the Saxons (9-3, 4-2) for 6 innings last year but pitched 3-plus innings of relief Friday for Kyle Gaedele.

So, pitching coach Dave Geeve suggested Metzger, who used a fastball, curve and changeup to throw 61 of his 101 pitches for strikes.

"He went out and spotted his fastball probably better than any of our pitchers has all year," Lindeman said.

"I found my confidence more in the later innings," Metzger said. "My fastball seemed to go a little faster. The defense really helped me -- especially the first 2 innings."

With runners at first and second and one out in the first, Gaedele made a diving grab of George Kalousek's liner in left-center and fired to second for a double play.

"That turns out to be a big play," said Schaumburg coach Paul Groot. "That play is absolutely huge."

Right fielder Scott Wenzel threw out Matt Mistrata trying to stretch a leadoff single in the second. Kalousek had a sacrifice fly in the third but third baseman Pat Conlin and second baseman Dan Lauria turned a double play to end the fourth.

Meadows scratched out the tying run in the third off Brandt (3-1), who threw only 66 pitches (48 strikes) and had 5 walks and no strikeouts. But with one out in the sixth, Sabal lined a first-pitch curve to left for his first homer.

"I was looking early in the count to attack something," Sabal said. "I knew I hit it hard enough but I didn't know if I hit it high enough. Luckily the wind was blowing in from right field and not left."

Schaumburg threatened in the seventh with first and third but Metzger ended it by getting Dominick D'Agata (2-for-4) to foul out to shortstop Scott Hempel.

"I didn't want to give him a pitch to hit and I was trying to keep it low," Metzger said.

And it kept Meadows riding high with its fifth straight victory.

Prospect 3, Palatine 1: Lefty Dominic Pugliese (3-0) threw a 2-hitter for East leader Prospect (9-6, 6-0) to outduel Palatine (3-13, 2-4) righty Steve Reis, who threw a 3-hitter and gave up 1 earned run in the MSL crossover.

Tim Scanlan's RBI double and Shane Uhle's sacrifice fly broke a 1-1 tie in the fifth. Pugliese had 6 strikeouts and 2 walks and Reis had 5 strikeouts and 3 walks.

Hoffman 6, Hersey 5: A 2-run single by Dave Ehlers (3-for-4) capped a 4-run rally in the seventh for Hoffman (6-5, 2-3) in the MSL crossover at Hersey (7-8, 1-5). Pat Johnson had an RBI single in the seventh, Chris Fett had 3 hits and Matt St. John hit a 2-run homer and a double.

St. John got the win in relief and Eric McGinnis saved it with 3 strikeouts after a leadoff walk in the seventh.

Elk Grove 5, Fremd 3: Donny Duschinsky and Tony Logli hit solo homers and Kevin Miller's RBI single keyed a 3-run third for Elk Grove (8-8, 3-3) in the MSL crossover. Winner Matt Martinski went 4¿ innings and Josh Daniels came in and left runners at second and third en route to the save.

Todd Dunham hit a solo homer for Fremd (5-4, 2-3).

BG 11, Conant 0: Seth Parker (2-1) scattered 6 hits as Mike Ricciardi hit 2 homers and Zach Borenstein homered for Buffalo Grove (6-5, 3-3) in the 5-inning MSL crossover win over Conant (5-6, 2-4).

Ricciardi's 3-run shot keyed a 5-run first. Parker had 2 strikeouts and 1 walk.

Barrington 5, Wheeling 3: Jack Golek's 2-run homer in the fifth wiped out a 1-run deficit for Barrington (9-7, 4-2) in the MSL crossover off Wheeling (2-7, 2-4) ace Steve Slussar.

Golek also had a sacrifice fly, Steve Janezic was 3-for-3 and Tim Conroy had 2 doubles. Sean Buchholz (3-1) threw a 4-hitter with 5 strikeouts and 1 walk.

Slussar had 7 strikeouts and 3 walks in 6¿ innings.

Leyden 9, Addison Trail 2: Jonathan Weaver (4-for-4, 3 RBI), Sam Cochiaro (3-for-4, 2 doubles, 2 RBI) and Tim Mackey (3-for-4, 2 RBI) led a 14-hit attack for Leyden (11-2, 7-1) in the West Suburban Gold. Winner Ricky Zapata allowed 4 hits and had 6 strikeouts in 6 innings.