Baseball: Fun times continue for McHenry in win over Dundee-Crown

McHenry’s run to the Class 4A state championship game last year was an experience that Nathan Neidhardt says he will remember forever.

Which doesn’t mean a fun run won’t happen for the Warriors again this year.

In the meantime, Neidhardt will enjoy helping his team win more baseball games, all while hitting from the cleanup spot in a loaded batting order. Hitting in front of Neidhardt are NCAA Division-I commits Landon Clements (UIC) and Kaden Wasniewski (LSU) and Carver Cohn, one of the best sophomores in the state.

“I’m just trying to have as much fun as possible,” Neidhardt said.

Tuesday, Neidhardt had lots of fun.

The senior went 2 for 3 with a double and five RBI as McHenry opened defense of its Fox Valley Conference championship with a 15-0, four-inning win over host Dundee-Crown in Carpentersville.

Garet Lobbins, batting in the No. 5 hole behind Neidhardt, also was 2 for 3. Lobbins, a junior and varsity rookie, doubled twice and drove in four runs. Cohn was 3 for 3 with a double, four runs scored and two RBI, Jeffry Scwab went 2 for 3, and Wasniewski — who pitched three innings for the win — reached base all four times he came up (three walks, hit by pitch).

“They hit the daylights out of the ball,” D-C coach Andrew Zimmer said of the Warriors. “They don’t get cheated. Everything just seemed like it was barreled.”

McHenry (6-2) has squared up a lot of baseballs this season. Tuesday marked the fifth time the Warriors have scored double-digit runs.

Against D-C (5-4), McHenry pounded out 11 hits, four for extra bases.

“Our whole lineup has been hitting the ball all year,” said Warriors coach Brian Rockweiler, whose team hosts the Chargers on Wednesday. “That’s nice, because [opponents] can’t just focus on those three guys at the top of the lineup.

“I’ve been very happy with the production so far.”

Rockweiler recently penciled in Neidhardt in the cleanup spot, and the lefty hitter has responded. Neidhardt, who started in left field, doubled in two runs in McHenry’s seven-run second inning against D-C. He got hit by a pitch to drive in another run in a three-run third and smacked a two-run single in a three-run fourth.

“Last year I was batting seventh, and when I saw I was batting fourth [this year], I just had to come up with a different approach, expect a little more and be on time,” said Neidhardt, who batted .307 in 75 at-bats as a designated hitter and outfielder last season. “I’m just trying to lock in.”

Lobbins smoked a two-out double into the left-field corner in the first to put the Warriors up 2-0. In the second, the first baseman knocked in two more runs with a double high off the fence in left field.

“I thought I had a shot [to hit it out), but I’ll just get back in the weight room,” Lobbins, who also got hit by a pitch to drive in a run, said with a smile.

Like Neidhardt, Lobbins knows he’s going to get opportunities to drive in runs considering the number of quality hitters ahead of him in the order.

“I love it,” said Lobbins, who’s also batted sixth this season. “I know with the top three guys, and even the [No.] 4 guy, I’m always going to have people on [base] when I’m hitting. It almost bails me out sometimes if I just need to put a ground ball down to get a run in for the team. I view it as a great opportunity.”

Bennet Baumann (RBI) and Carter Thornton added singles for McHenry.

The Warriors would have scored more runs if not for the throwing arm of D-C right fielder Kyle Pierce, who threw out two runners at home plate. Pierce’s throw to catcher Ikey Grzynkowicz completed a 9-2 double play after he speared Schwab’s line drive to end the McHenry third.

“He did that last year too,” Zimmer said of Pierce, who plans to play baseball at Elgin Community College. “He’s a great outfielder. Anytime he gets the chance to throw someone out, he’s going to do it. He’s got a very strong arm. He wants to be all-conference this year.”

Pierce and his twin, Ryan, each singled off Wasniewski, who struck out two batters in each of his three innings and walked one. McHenry junior left-hander Carson White struck out two in his one inning and allowed a single to Grzynkowicz.