Sycamore edges Kaneland in extra innings

Kaneland's Northern Illinois Big XII East Conference championship celebration plans will have to wait for at least another day.

Reid Kozak's 1-out sacrifice fly to center field drove in courtesy runner John Harnden with the game-winning run during Sycamore's 4-3, 8-inning victory over the Knights (13-10, 8-2) Monday afternoon at Airport Road Park in Sycamore.

Catcher Michael Beaudoin led off the eighth with a double to left-center - his third base hit of the game - before Colan Treml advanced courtesy runner Harnden to third with a sacrifice bunt.

Moments before Kozak stepped into the batter's box, the wind picked up blowing in from left field.

"I felt that, too," said Sycamore coach Jason Cavanaugh. "It was dead all day."

Kaneland center fielder Nick Stratman, who gunned down a runner at the plate to end the fourth, was in position to make another throw home after catching Kozak's medium-deep fly ball. However, a slight bobble allowed Harnden to score without a play as the Spartans (11-6, 4-3) grabbed the opener of the 3-game series.

"That kid (Stratman) has got a really good arm out there and of course it goes to him," said Cavanaugh. "Luckily, Reid (Kozak) smoked that (ball)."

"I know he was thinking that all over again," Kaneland coach Brian Aversa said of Stratman's second attempt nail a runner at the plate. "He's the guy we want in that situation. It was just an unfortunate set of circumstances there. I'd like to see that play happen in real time without the bobble."

Sycamore benefited from a costly defensive decision by the Knights during its 3-run third.

With runners on first and second and 1 out, Austin Jacox hit a comebacker to the mound. Kaneland pitcher Matt O'Sullivan was unable to field the ball cleanly and his last-ditch attempt to force a runner at second failed, leaving the bases loaded.

Beaudoin cleared the bases with a 3-run double to the gap in left-center.

"Matt's a great pitcher for us," Aversa said of O'Sullivan, who wound up suffering the loss despite 7 2/3 solid innings. "We're trying to get two instead of trying to get the out and it came back to bite us. They got a big inning out of it."

"Michael Beaudoin did a great job for us today," said Cavanaugh. "He drives in the first three runs and his guy scores the fourth one. He started the season slow. He had knee surgery two days before the season started. A catcher doesn't usually bounce back quickly."

Kaneland chipped away at the early deficit, scoring a run in the fourth on Matt Rosko's infield single before tying the game in the fifth.

Danny Hammermeister, who made an outstanding catch of a pop fly behind first base in the sixth, sliced a leadoff double to the right-field corner and scored on an infield error. Joe Laudont's RBI groundout tied the game at 3-3.

The Knights squandered an excellent scoring opportunity in the top of the eighth.

Singles by Joe Panico and Stratman and an error loaded the bases with 1 out. However, Spartans pitcher Treml (4-2) escaped the jam with back-to-back strikeouts.

"Colan pitched really well to get out of that bases loaded, 1-out situation," said Cavanaugh. "I probably left him in there a little bit too long but he kept begging me for one more inning."

Kaneland will attempt to clinch a share of the conference crown at home Tuesday against Sycamore.

"I think we're a lot better than we showed today," said Aversa. "We'll come back tomorrow and have an opportunity to reclaim our stake."