St. Charles North 7, Larkin 0

Zach Hirsch is a no-nonsense kind of pitcher -- and he proved that Monday against Larkin.

The junior lefty on the St. Charles North baseball team only needed an hour and 20 minutes against Upstate Eight Conference opponent Larkin to walk away with his second win of the year.

In the North Stars' 7-0 win against the Royals, Hirsch fanned nine and allowed 5 hits and no walks in a complete game shutout in St. Charles.

"I like to work quick," said Hirsch, who improved to 2-2 on the season.

"He's such a competitor," St. Charles North coach Todd Genke added of Hirsch. "It's just so fun to watch him pitch. When he has the ball in his hands, he's coming right at you … he was in complete control today. It was a dominating performance (from) one of the better players in our conference, that's for sure."

"We faced him last year, and I don't know if we scored a run, and if we face him next year, I don't know if we are going to score a run," Larkin coach Doug Ellett said of Hirsch. "He's a good pitcher, and we had a couple of opportunities, but he doesn't give you many opportunities."

Hirsch had solid hitting behind him at the plate, as the North Stars finished with 9 hits, including 3 in the third, led by a pair of doubles from Brandon Nothnagel and Sam Weinberg.

Weinberg's one-pitch hit sent Nothnagel home as part of a 3-run third inning. K.C. Wright and Ryan Richardson also recorded RBI in that inning.

Catcher Matt Stevens' solo home run to center field highlighted the fourth inning.

"He swings the bat hard," Genke said. "He's a big kid for a sophomore. He's been playing very well for us."

Brian De la Torriente's 2-run single was part of a 3-run, 4-hit sixth inning for the North Stars (9-4, 6-1).

"I think we are really starting to hit the ball with authority," Genke said. "The guys are starting to realize our potential and realize we are a pretty decent team."

"I'm always confident those guys can hit," Hirsch said.

Leadoff man Justin Kalusa posted 3 of the Royals' 5 total hits. He used a pair of bunts and a single in the sixth but could get no closer than third to scoring for Larkin (6-8, 5-6).

"(Kalusa) figured out how to bunt the ball -- he's a really good bunter -- and he got the third hit because (St. Charles North's defense) was moved in, thinking he was going to bunt," Ellett said. "We have to play some small ball like that."