Another Elk Grove eruption; another Grens win
For the second day in a row, Elk Grove exploded for a victory.
Elk Grove took advantage of 2 Wheeling errors to tally six times in the sixth inning and top host Wheeling 7-3 Tuesday in Mid-Suburban East play.
“We broke through there,” said Elk Grove coach Terry Beyna, whose team scored 12 runs in one inning in Monday’s 12-2 win over Prospect. “It was a 1-1 game there and could go either way. It is nice to put up a big number to settle your pitcher down.”
Elk Grove’s Michael Woods and Wheeling’s Bubba Bendewald locked in a 1-1 pitcher’s dual heading into the sixth. Elk Grove scored on a RBI single by Johnny Assimakopoulos in the first and Wheeling tied it in the third on a single by Brenden Spillane.
Elk Grove (10-3, 3-0) put runners on first and second thanks to singles by Petar Arbov and Mikey Maize. Then, with one out, Wheeling’s defense failed them.
Wheeling (3-6, 0-3) botched a sure double play ball to load the bases. Elk Grove’s Patrick O’Malley then avoided another double play, when he beat out an errant throw. From there, Adam O’Malley had a pinch hit single, Michael Anciulis had a RBI double and Assimakopoulos drove in a pair of runs with a single.
“Just from how he pitched me last time, I knew what he was going to throw me,” said Assimakopoulos, who had 2 hits and 3 RBI. “He pretty much pitched me the same pitch. So I knew what was coming.”
“I was just trying to put the ball in play,” said Anciulis, who had 3 hits, including a pair of doubles. “We had some runners on and I was just trying to move them over. I was doing whatever I can to help.”
Wheeling rallied in the bottom of the seventh. The Wildcats scored 2 runs on double by sophomore sensation Spillane (2-for-2). Wheeling the loaded the bases, but Alex Tinkoff coaxed David Shapiro to ground out the end the game.
“We just gave them a couple of extra outs in the sixth,” Wheeling coach Jason Wieder said. “But I was proud of the way our kids battled back. We just can’t let one or two mistakes snowball.”
Elk Grove, which nipped Wheeling 8 days ago 1-0 in 8 innings, pounded out 12 hits in Tuesday’s win.
“We are hot or cold,” Beyna said. “And when we are hitting the ball it is pretty contagious.
“We are off to a good start in the MSL, but there is a long way to go.”
Fremd 9, Palatine 4: Senior Eric Gile allowed 1 run over 5 innings to help visiting Fremd pick up a Mid-Suburban League baseball win against rival Palatine 9-4 on Tuesday.
The Vikings trailed 3-1 after the second inning but regained control with a 5-run third and never again trailed.
Sam Beutler had 3 hits and drove in 4 runs for Fremd, and Tim Polak also had 3 hits as the Vikings outhit Palatine 12-3.
Jarrod Juskiewicz had a solo home in the first inning for Palatine (4-7-1, 1-1).
Buffalo Grove 5, Prospect 3: Visiting Prospect produced 2 runs in the sixth and 1 in the seventh, but it was enough to catch up to the Bison in Mid-Suburban East play.
Luke Potnick tossed the first 6 innings for BG and struck out five to earn the victory. Buffalo Grove allowed Prospect just 2 hits.
Paul Burke drove in 2 runs for BG, and Josh Guertler drove in 1.
Hoffman Estates 9, Larkin 0: The visiting Hawks were good under pressure, scoring all of their runs with two outs — including 6 in the first on six straight hits — to earn a nonconference road win. Starter Jimmy Ward and relievers Nick Fraser and Jack Kelley combined on the shutout for Hofman Estates, hich had 12 hits.
South Elgin 5, Conant 4: The visiting Storm scored the go-ahead run in the top of the seventh to earn a nonconference win. Zach Gale had 2 RBI for Conant.