Baseball: Antioch, Grayslake Central battle to a tie through 8 innings

Grayslake Central and Antioch were fit to be tied Tuesday.

The teams battled for 8 innings and were still knotted up at 2-2 when the umpires suspended the game due to darkness. The game will be completed Wednesday at Grayslake Central before the start of the regularly scheduled conference game between the two teams.

“It hasn’t been 50 years, but it has been a long time since we played to a tie,” Grayslake Central coach Troy Whalen said. “But it was that kind of game today. It was kids making plays on both sides.”

Antioch coach Frank Fracek said his team, which left 9 players on base in the final five innings, had their chances.

“We had a lot of opportunities,” Fracek said. “We just didn’t capitalize when they were there. That was the difference in the game.”

Both teams got great pitching and made huge defensive plays down the stretch.

Antioch had an opportunity to win the game in the bottom of the seventh.

Alex Nielsen and Hunter Feldcamp each singled to lead off the inning. Jaxon Poglayen pinch hit and laid down a perfect bunt, reaching first when there was no play on him to load the bases with nobody out.

But Grayslake Central junior pitcher Logan Marshall was able to bear down.

The lefty induced Colby Costello to hit a hard grounder to second baseman Ryan Aitken, who immediately fired home for a force out. Catcher Soren Hansen then threw quickly back to first for the double play. Marshall then struck out the next batter to get out of the inning unscathed.

“I was a little nervous and didn’t have much confidence,” said Marshall, who pitched 3-1/3 innings of scoreless baseball. “But once I got out of that inning, I felt more comfortable and was able to make big pitches.”

Antioch got a great performance from junior Liam Harem, who was making only his second varsity start. He pitched all eight innings for the Sequoits (9-9, 4-2), allowing just six hits while striking out five.

Harem gave up single runs in the first and third innings as the Rams (15-2, 6-0) grabbed a 2-0 lead.

Jayson Domerchie scored both runs for the Rams and Beckham Stone drove both in.

Domerchie walked in the first and scored on Stone’s sacrifice fly. In the third, Domerchie singled to lead off the inning and later scored on Stone’s single to make it 2-0.

Harem would allow just two hits and two walks after that inning. Catcher Elliott Freeman helped Harem’s cause by throwing out two potential base stealers.

“Mentally, I feel a little underwhelmed,” Harem said. “I felt we could have come away with the win today. But I was proud on how we stuck through it. I felt alive when I was out there.”

Fracek was impressed with Harem’s outing which ended at 104 pitches.

“He (Marshall) usually has been a bullpen guy,” Fracek said. “I think the best part about it is that he is a flat-out competitor. He really wants the ball in big spots.”

Antioch scored both of its runs in the bottom of the third.

Alex Herstowski led off with a double. Carter Mozina laid down a two-strike bunt for a hit to put runners on the corners. Zach Rubin drove in a run with a fielder’s choice and Mozina would later score on an infield error to tie the game.

“I’m thankful that we are tied,” Whalen said. “We can see what happens tomorrow and go from there.”