Naperville North 19, West Chicago 9

Naperville North starting pitcher Derek Locascio didn't expect to remain in Tuesday's game against West Chicago as long as he did.

Tagged for 6 runs on 5 hits in the top of the first inning, Locascio certainly didn't expect to be on the mound for the game's final inning.

Yet that's exactly where the 6-foot-2 senior found himself, regaining his composure and pitching into the fifth inning of the Huskies' 19-9, five-inning victory over West Chicago.

"I knew I didn't have my best stuff, but I know my team can hit and I knew we'd be able to come back," Locascio said. "I was thinking just try to get out of the inning as soon as I could and try to keep us in the game.

"I was just trying to gut out some innings for our bullpen. I'm the No. 4 pitcher, so I was just trying to get through this game."

As it turned out, Locascio's 6 surrendered runs in the first inning proved to be more than enough to keep the Huskies in the game, as his Naperville North (10-2, 4-0 DuPage Valley Conference) teammates rallied back for 10 runs in the home half of the first to seize the lead.

Third baseman Alex Helms' triple to center field tied the game at 6-6. Senior Tom Walsh knocked a single to left field on the first pitch he saw, scoring Helms to put the Huskies ahead.

Helms and Walsh struck again in the bottom of the third, hitting back-to-back doubles to push the Naperville North lead to 15-8.

Catcher Mike Nodzenski finished the game with a deep single to center field, scoring Walsh and allowing the Huskies to avoid any possibility of a late-inning Wildcats comeback.

"We kept on trying to keep them focused, because if we can score 10 runs in an inning, they can score 10," Naperville North coach Carl Hunckler said. "In games like this the best thing that can happen for us is that it's a five-inning game."

West Chicago (2-6, 0-4) had ample opportunities in the fourth and fifth innings yet never came through with a clutch hit to keep things close. Junior Tyler Christ's single in the top of the fifth scored the only Wildcats run in the decisive two innings.

"We had opportunities in the fourth and fifth inning with the bases loaded, and we couldn't come up with the big hit," West Chicago coach John Walters said. "We just can't get that swing that can bust it open, and it seems like it's been that way the entire conference (season)."