MSL races tighten up
There is still life for a Mid-Suburban League baseball division title for nine of the 12 teams as the schedule heads into the final two games. And the races in both divisions tightened up Wednesday.
Palatine (14-17, 8-6) moved within a game of first in the West by completing a sweep of cross-town rival Fremd (16-12, 9-5) with a 3-2 win in 12 innings. Rolling Meadows (17-12, 8-6) is now just a game out of the East lead after a 4-1 win over Hersey (20-7, 9-5) and Prospect (12-16, 9-5) losing 2-0 to Elk Grove.
Buffalo Grove (12-17, 7-7) and Elk Grove (16-13, 7-7) are only two games out in the East and Schaumburg (17-12, 8-6) and Conant (11-12, 7-7) still have shots at winning or sharing the West title.
Palatine 3, Fremd 2 (12 inn.): Nick Refka had the go-ahead RBI double in the top of the 12th inning and combined with Kurt Becker on a 4-hitter as Palatine won its fifth straight game. Refka ended the game with the tying run at third with his fourth strikeout in 3 innings of 1-hit relief.
Becker allowed only 3 hits and no earned runs with 6 strikeouts and 6 walks in 8 2-3 innings and Fremd starter Lee Breitzman allowed 6 hits and 1 earned run with 10 strikeouts and no walks in 8 innings.
A one-out single by Eric Scheuermann set up Refka’s go-ahead double and leadoff doubles by Dan Riddle in the fifth and Scott Schneberger in the sixth led to runs on errors. Fremd left runners at second and third in the seventh and the bases loaded in the eighth as it lost its fourth straight.
Rolling Meadows 4, Hersey 1: Matt Hendricks retired the final 12 hitters and Meadows scored twice in fifth and sixth innings. Hendricks threw a 4-hitter with 6 strikeouts and 1 walk as Hersey got its run on Tyler Perkowitz’s third-inning sacrifice fly.
Matt Dennis’ leadoff single in the Meadows’ fifth led to Tyler Gaedele’s tying squeeze bunt and a run-scoring error. Zach Schultz and Mike Weingart had RBI singles in the sixth and Mike Olson went 3-for-4.
Elk Grove 2, Prospect 0: Illinois State-bound lefty Jack Czeszewski threw a 2-hitter and didn’t allow a runner past second base as Elk Grove completed a series sweep at Prospect. Czeszewski had 7 strikeouts and 1 walk as he threw 61 of his 90 pitches for strikes and future college teammate Jack Landwehr had the only hits.
Prospect sophomore Jordan Fedro allowed only 4 hits with 3 strikeouts and 3 walks in 6 innings. Elk Grove got the only run it needed in the first when Luc Dimaso walked, Mike Fox sacrificed, Czeszewski walked and Peter Kinsella delivered a two-out RBI double. Kinsella’s single in the sixth led to Nick Zak’s RBI single.
Schaumburg 4, Barrington 0: Junior Max Paolicchi (5-3) allowed only 4 hits with 3 strikeouts and 2 walks in 6 innings as Schaumburg won its fourth straight at Barrington (16-12, 6-8). Thomas Byrne had a two-out, 2-run double in the seventh and Matt Brancato went 2-for-3 with an RBI double.
Conant 5, Hoffman Estates 3: Dan Durr threw a 6-hitter, freshman Anthony Forte hit a solo homer and Nick Monelli and Kyle Gizynski had 2 hits for Conant. Durr had 4 strikeouts and 1 walk and Gizynski had an RBI single in a 2-run seventh.
Mike Gordon hit a solo homer in the bottom of the seventh for Hoffman (12-15, 6-8) and Brian Cvitkovich also hit a solo homer.
Buffalo Grove 5, Wheeling 0: Zach Anzelmo threw a 4-hitter for his second straight complete game and Jake Fanella and Jimmy Barton had 2 hits for Buffalo Grove. Anzelmo had 6 strikeouts and 1 walk and threw 56 of his 76 pitches for strikes.
Richie Zirngibl and Barton had RBI singles and Jake Monson had an RBI groundout in the fifth for BG. Wheeling (1-26, 0-14) threatened to break the shutout in the seventh but Jimmy Pinakidis helped preserve it by throwing out a runner trying for third on Nick Ricciardi’s single.
St. Viator 5, St. Patrick 2: Joe Rossi went 3-for-4 with 2 RBI, Kevin Patzke had 2 hits and 2 RBI and Roy Pettingill had 2 hits to support winner Tim McElroy and St. Viator (17-12, 5-6) in the East Suburban Catholic Conference.