Avella, Crystal Lake South close out Huntley

Michael Avella doesn't mind his role. He actually savors it.

The Crystal Lake South senior closer retired all 5 batters he faced in 2 innings to earn the save in the Gators' 6-2 Fox Valley Conference Valley Division baseball win over Huntley Wednesday afternoon.

Avella, in relief of winner John Constantino, entered the game with nobody out and Brandon Altergott, who reached on a leadoff single, on first.

Avella induced Jake Liebman to hit into a double play and ended the inning by getting Bobby Hecker on a fly out.

Avella retired the Red Raiders (7-17, 3-8) in order in the seventh, striking out Huntley pinch-hitter Noah Konie to end the game.

"This was not as nerve racking as some games are," said Avella. "Every game and every appearance is important. I just try to come in the game and throw strikes and let my defense make plays."

South coach Brian Bogda is impressed with the way Avella has accepted the role.

"I feel comfortable putting Michael in the game in the late innings," said Bogda. "He throws strikes and he did a great job of getting that double play in the sixth."

The Gators (19-4, 4-1) jumped on Huntley starter Ryan Mills for 4 runs in the second. The key hits were a 2-RBI triple from Nick Van Witzenburg and RBI singles from Dakota Siwula and Tyler Carlson.

Benefiting from 2 Gator errors, Huntley tallied 2 unearned runs in the fourth to make the score 4-2.

Crystal Lake South added 2 insurance runs in the fifth on run-scoring singles from Garrett Bright and Avella.

The lowlight for the Gators came during Huntley's 2-run fourth. With Huntley's Hecker caught in a rundown between third and home, Siwula, the Gators' first baseman tagged out Hecker in what the umpire determined as excessive contact. Siwula was ejected from the game and will miss the Gators' next game Friday at Grayslake Central.

"There is no bad blood between the two players or the two teams," said Bogda. "There was no intent by Dakota. This is something we can

learn from and we can move on."

Huntley interim head coach Andy Bisceglia, subbing for head coach Andy Jakubowski who was serving a 1-game suspension for being thrown out of Tuesday's game, was happy with the Red Raiders' effort.

"We played hard," Bisceglia said. "We had our chances but ran ourselves out of some innings."