Baseball: St. Charles North tops Geneva for 14th straight win
Watching from the bench as teammate Tyler Mettetal was working on a 1-hitter through the first four innings, St. Charles North junior Tim Hasto didn't expect to see any action Thursday afternoon.
After Mettetal left the game with an injury with nobody on base and 2 out in the bottom of the fifth inning, Hasto heard his name called by North Stars coach Todd Genke.
"I was just sitting in the dugout hanging out," said Hasto. "I was totally surprised."
Hasto tossed 2⅓ innings of scoreless relief as the North Stars (16-2, 11-0) earned a 4-1 Upstate Eight Conference River Division victory over host Geneva (14-6, 8-3).
While picking up the save, the junior right-hander fanned 3 and allowed 3 hits, retiring the final batter on a grounder to shortstop Zach Mettetal with runners on first and third in the seventh.
"Tim Hasto did a great job," said Genke. "Here's a kid who took advantage of an opportunity. He wasn't really ready to pitch obviously but came in and did a great job. My hat's off to him - against a tough Geneva team over here in a big conference game. That was impressive to watch."
Due to the injury, Hasto threw as many warm-up pitches as necessary upon entering the game.
"It's something I've never done before - having someone hurt and coming in to throw," said Hasto. "I kind of had to calm down and take my time to warm up. I had to try and get all my pitches through without feeling rushed."
"He was kind of our bridge guy to get to (closer Christian) Sidoti," Genke said of Hasto. "We had that in the back of our minds but Tyler was cruising."
Mettetal, who allowed a 2-out single to Josh Rose in the second, fanned four consecutive batters before his departure.
"I got the infielders together right before Timmy took the mound and said, 'hey guys, let's go do this for Tyler and let's focus on the task here and get a groundball,' " said Genke. "Obviously, guys are concerned. It's hard when his brother is standing there at short.
"We could've come undone there a little but we didn't."
St. Charles North stretched its winning streak to 14 thanks in part to a 2-run first off Geneva senior right-hander Bryan Callaly.
After a leadoff walk and fielder's choice, Tyler Mettetal lined a double to right before Kyle Novotney drove in the game's first run on a groundout. Three pitches later, courtesy runner Jake Chantos scored on a wild pitch.
Zach Mettetal added an RBI single in the third while the North Stars' final run came off a seventh-inning balk.
"We didn't particularly do a whole lot offensively but we did enough," said Genke. "That was their horse on the mound and we did just enough to win."
Geneva stranded 7 runners, including a pair in the seventh.
"They're good," Vikings coach Matt Hahn said of the North Stars. "There's no easy out in their lineup.
"In all the years I've coached, I don't think I've been prouder of a team after a loss than I am right now. We gave them our best effort and that's all you can ask of our kids."