Baseball: Round Lake comes up short vs. Johnsburg

The pickoff in the top of the seventh was so perfectly executed that the pitcher didn't even see it coming.

"I caught him leaning a couple of times and actually threw over there when he was looking right at me," Round Lake junior pitcher Gio Cirelli said after scattering 7 hits, while walking only one in going the distance. "I was surprised I got him."

The host Panthers came up a little short, 4-1, to nonconference visitor Johnsburg in the first game of a twinbill on Thursday morning, but it's the culture and attitude that have 10th-year skipper Ed Adamson and his guys excited.

After the Panthers won only three games last spring, spirited plays like Cirelli's are becoming the norm. Round Lake dropped the second game 6-1, but the Panthers (3-6) already have as many wins as they did last season.

"We're heading in the right direction," Adamson said. "We have a lot of guys working out and guys that want to be out on the baseball field. ... We had some success early and that was huge for our motivation to want to succeed more. We were throwing strikes and hitting the ball well."

Cirelli echoed his coach's sentiments.

"We got off to the good start to the season and are more hyped for every game (because of that success)," he said after slipping to 1-1. "We stick it out and battle."

After surrendering a 2-run blast by Johnsburg third baseman Jorge Contreras in the first, Cirelli buckled down. He pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the second as Johnsburg settled for a single run.

The Skyhawks did plate single runs in the second and third to create a little more separation, 4-0.

Bur Cirelli fired 2-hit, shutout ball over the last 4 frames to nullify any more scoring. He got some help defensively when center fielder Wyatt Hill made a leaping catch in the fifth. A 6-4-3 double play ended the frame.

Round Lake ruined the shutout when cleanup hitter Lucas Hollingsworth - who has 2 dingers this spring - reached on an error to plate Hill, who led off the frame with a walk.

Hill finished 1-for-1 with 2 walks and 2 stolen bases.

First baseman Charlie Burton, third bagger Angel Cueves and designated hitter Amadeaus Pope also smacked singles for the Panther.

Winner Ryan Linkletter tossed 3 scoreless innings for the Skyhawks (4-3), who used a trio of pitchers.

"It always comes down to a couple of plays," Adamson said. "We hit it hard, but a lot of line drives right at people."