DuPage County and Fox Valley baseball notes: DuKane Conference race off to jumbled start

How competitive is the DuKane Conference?

It took less than a week for the eight DuKane baseball teams to suffer at least one conference loss.

Heading into Wednesday’s action, St. Charles East (12-4) and Geneva (15-2) were tied atop the conference standings with 4-1 records, followed by Lake Park (3-2), Batavia (3-2), St. Charles North (2-3), and Wheaton North (2-3).

The Saints extended their winning streak to 5 with Tuesday’s 14-0, 5-inning victory over Glenbard North (6-7-1) behind an 11-hit attack, led by Kyle LaRose (2 for 3, double, triple, 5 RBI) and Nathan Moline (2 for 4, 3 RBI). Gavin Fuscone earned the win, allowing 2 hits with 5 strikeouts. Fuscone threw 40 of his 50 pitches for strikes.

St. Charles East is now 6-0 at home.

On Monday, Moline worked 5 2/3 innings, allowing 1 earned run on 3 hits with 2 walks and 6 strikeouts, in the Saints’ 7-1 win over Glenbard North.

Andrew Evans went 3 for 4 with a home run, double, and 3 runs scored, while Moline had 3 hits. Niko Vahmistrovs (2 for 3, triple, 2 RBI) and Dylan McCabe (2 for 4, double, RBI) supported the cause.

Geneva, fresh from its first series win over St. Charles North in more than a decade, defeated Wheaton Warrenville South 8-5 on Tuesday after taking the first game of the series, 5-4 in 8 innings, on Monday.

Ryan Kastor (3 for 4, 2 doubles, 4 RBI), Alex Abraham (2 for 4, 2 RBI), Tate Beran (2 for 3, double), and Josh Frieders (3 for 5, RBI) paced the Vikings’ offense in the 8-5 victory, as Noah Hallahan (5 IP) picked up the win.

Mason Bruesch (2 for 4, home run, double, 2 RBI) and Abraham (2 for 2, double, 2 walks) led the way in extra-inning victory over the Tigers. Blake Kopec tossed 3 scoreless innings of relief to record the win.

“We’ll see what we can do with this,” Geneva coach Brad Wendell following the team’s 2-1 series edge over defending DuKane champion St. Charles North last week. “It has been a hard hump to get over because they’re so good at what they do.”

The North Stars (8-7-2) bounced back with a pair of 1-run wins over defending state champion Libertyville (9-8 in 8 innings) on Saturday and Wheaton North (3-2 in 8 innings) on Monday prior to Tuesday’s 7-2 loss to the Falcons.

Against Libertyville, St. Charles North rallied for a 5-run seventh behind Brody Phelps (3 RBI), Nolan Macholz (3 RBI), and Nick Gnutek (3 for 4, RBI).

Phelps delivered the go-ahead RBI single against Wheaton North.

In the Upstate Eight West, South Elgin (11-4, 5-0), West Aurora (14-4, 7-1), and Bartlett (10-8, 6-2) occupy the top 3 spots in the standings.

The Storm outscored Larkin (5-8, 2-3) 28-3 in a pair of run-shortened victories earlier this week.

Zach Barkho went 6 for 7 with a pair of home runs, a double, and 8 RBI against the Royals, while sophomore Evan Gomez was 3 for 3 with a home run and 2 RBI in Monday’s 15-0 win.

Jameson Cunningham and Antonio Ventura each had RBI for the Lancers in Tuesday’s 13-3 loss.

West Aurora swept a 2-game series from Bartlett in a pair of low-scoring battles.

Zach Toma fanned 11 in 6 innings during the Blackhawks’ 2-0 win over Bartlett on Monday. Angel Romero delivered the game-winning RBI double in the sixth to break a scoreless tie.

Toma (3 for 3, 2 RBI) and Oscar Alexander, Jr. added solo home runs in Tuesday’s 3-1 win over the Hawks.

“I know that Zach (Toma) hit a homer and drove in a couple of runs, but right now, Oscar (Alexander, Jr.) is probably our best hitter,” said Blackhawks coach John Reeves.

“He hit a walk-off, 2-run homer against Waubonsie Valley (10-9 win) on Saturday. He’s maturing as a hitter, cutting down on his strikeouts, and doing an excellent job. I think he has 19-20 walks, and his on-base percentage is .688.”

Reeves came away impressed with Bartlett pitchers Brandon Pelz, Vince Yario (10 Ks in 5 IP), and Josh Colaizzi.

“Their pitching is fantastic,” said the coach. “We saw all three of their best guys. That tight slider (from Yario) was giving us fits.”

South Elgin and West Aurora begin a crucial 2-game series on Monday in South Elgin.

Bartlett hopes its final 2-game series with South Elgin (May 19-20) carries UEC West title implications.

“We’ve got to start hitting our stride sooner rather than later,” said Hawks coach Alex Coan. “I fully believe in this team and its ability to bounce back and be resilient. Mentally, we’re in a good spot, and we know what to expect.”

Wheaton Academy is off to a 14-5 start, including a 4-0 mark in Chicagoland Christian Conference play following 2-game sweeps of St. Edward and Timothy Christian last week.

Coach Justin Swider’s Warriors, who knocked off nonconference foe Northridge Prep 10-1 on Monday, outscored the Green Wave 29-4 during the 2-game series.

Shortstop Jackson From hit a home run and knocked in 3 runs during the Warriors’ 17-2 victory over St. Edward, while Mark Jackson stole 3 bases (leads the team with 14).

The Warriors earned a 15-5 victory over Timothy Christian on April 9 before handing the Trojans a 9-4 defeat last Friday.

TJ Sias pitched 4 1/3 innings of 1-hit ball in the opening game against Timothy, receiving offensive support from Eli Tate (2 for 4, triple, 4 RBI), Colton Miller (2 for 2, home run, 2 RBI), and Jackson (2 for 2. 4 runs scored, double, triple).

Lincoln Park did not allow an earned run in 6 innings against the Trojans in Game 2, striking out 7. Jackson (2-run home run) and Dallas Johnston (solo) each hit home runs, while From (2 doubles) and Dom Murrell (triple) each added a pair of hits.

Against Northridge Prep, Charlie Scherer allowed a run and 2 hits with 7 strikeouts in 6 innings, while Miller and Murrell each smacked home runs. Braden Christensen, Johnston, and Jackson enjoyed 2-hit games.

A pair of school career records were established during Tuesday’s 14-2 win over Northridge Prep.

Both occurred on the same play, as Murrell scored the 102nd run of his career on a double by From, who drove in the 95th RBI of his career.

Aurora Christian (11-3, 3-0) kept pace with Wheaton Academy in the Chicagoland Christian with Monday’s 7-4 triumph over Timothy Christian.

Sophomore Noah Zappia worked 4 innings of 3-hit ball with 7 strikeouts for the Eagles, who have won 4 straight.

Offensive support was provided by seniors Nolan Robertson (1 for 3, 3 RBI), Zach Zappia (2 for 3, 2 RBI), and juniors Preston Morel (double, 3 walks), and Jackson Zorger (2 for 3, double).

Last Saturday, the Eagles downed nonconference foe St. Francis 12-6, as Zach Zappia (4 IP) and Adan Sweeney (3 IP) combined on the mound.

Morel led the way on offense, going 2 for 4 with a home run, double, and 6 RBI, while Zorger finished 3 for 3 with a home run and 3 RBI. Senior Owen Niedzwiecki and Hensley provided 3 hits apiece.

Last week, Aurora Christian swept St. Edward by scores of 15-4 and 10-0.

Hensley went 2 for 3 with a home run and 4 RBI in last Friday’s 11-run win over the Green Wave, while senior Cristian Huerta, Zach Zappia, and Robertson each added 2 hits.

Huerta had a pair of hits, including a home run, and 4 RBI, while Noah Zappia pitched 4 scoreless innings of 2-hit ball with 9 strikeouts in the opening game of the series. Senior Gavin Pesak added a pair of hits and 2 runs scored.

Aurora Christian and Wheaton Academy will square off next week for a 2-game series that begins Wednesday in West Chicago.

In the DuPage Valley, defending champion Waubonsie Valley (10-8, 5-0) holds a 2-game lead over Naperville Central (12-6, 3-2), Naperville North (5-9, 3-2), and Neuqua Valley (6-9, 3-2) through the first 5 games.

The Warriors, who swept Metea Valley (4-10, 0-5) last week, earned back-to-back, 9-1 victories over DeKalb to start the week. Cole Ruggeri (5 IP) scattered 6 hits while recording the win in the opener, while Aidan Kornek tossed a 5-hit compete game, needing just 63 pitches, on Tuesday.

Parker Howland went 5 for 9 against the Barbs with a triple and 4 runs scored, while junior Shane Torres added 3 doubles and 3 RBI. Jack Roberts also had a pair of hits and an RBI for the Warriors, who have won 7 of 8 heading into Thursday’s series finale.

Ryan Pall had a pair of hits and 2 RBI, while Cooper Page had 2 hits and scored 2 runs in Naperville Central’s 8-5 win over crosstown rival Naperville North on Monday. Caden Vorwick went 2 for 4 with an RBI for the Huskies.

Naperville North earned a measure of revenge with Tuesday’s 5-4 victory over the visiting Redhawks. Brian Sokolnicki pitched a complete game with 6 strikeouts, while Max Steele went 3 for 4 with a double, triple, and 2 RBI.

Michael Page enjoyed a 4 for 4 day at the plate for the Redhawks with 2 doubles and an RBI.

The series concludes Thursday at Naperville Central.

Neuqua Valley opened the week with a pair of 1-run victories over Metea Valley — 8-7 on Tuesday, and 5-4 in 8 innings on Monday.

Senior Christian Lott, who hit a game-winning solo home run in the eighth on Monday, went 2 for 4 with a triple and 3 RBI in Tuesday’s win. Andy Barkley added a home run and 2 RBI for the Wildcats.

Junior Josh Repmann earned the complete-game win in the opener, scattering 4 hits, outdueling Metea counterpart Griffin Lavery, who allowed 2 earned runs with 4 strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings.

The series wraps up Thursday at Metea Valley.

Kaneland (4-7-1, 2-1) sophomore Kanon Baxley provided one of the biggest hits of the season when he launched a game-tying grand slam in the sixth inning of Monday’s eventual 11-10 victory over Rochelle.

Baxley, who reached on an infield single in the seventh, scored the winning run on a Rochelle error.

Fenton (4-12, 0-7) senior Connor Cheney smacked a home run and double with 5 RBI during Tuesday’s 12-7 loss to West Chicago (4-12-1, 3-5-1). Cheney leads the Bison with a .419 batting average, 3 home runs, and 16 RBI.