Baseball: Elk Grove rolls past Hersey

Elk Grove's bats really warmed up Monday in Arlington Heights.

It was a huge numbers games for the Grenadiers in their Mid-Suburban East opener. Elk Grove had eight different players pound out 17 hits, including 7 for extra bases, in a 13-6 win over Hersey.

"We have kind of found a little groove here," Elk Grove coach Terry Beyna said. "We are playing some small ball back and forth and letting some guys hit. The last couple of days have been real nice. It was a good day to hit. The wind was blowing out and the ball was carrying."

It carried very well for Elk Grove (4-4, 0-1), especially in the last two innings when the Grens struck for 5 runs in each of the frames.

"We have come alive offensively," Beyna said. "When you score runs it takes a ton a pressure off your pitching."

Matt Crimmins had 3 hits including a pair of doubles and 3 RBI to help lead the onslaught for Elk Grove.

"We have been getting it going lately, Crimmins said. "Our offense has been going great. It was a beautiful day out here and a great day to play."

Joe Gaskill also banged out a trio of hits. His singles were able to drive in a pair of runs.

"Today is one of my best days," Gaskill said. "I have been a bit down lately. I have been putting the ball in play, but right at people. Today, everything fell in."

It also dropped in well for Zach Schwartz whose two-run double in the sixth helped break the game open. Schwartz would then hit a solo homer in the seventh with a blast that cleared the right-field fence.

"It felt good off the bat," said Schwartz, who finished with 3 RBI. "He hung a curveball right over the middle and I put a good swing on it."

Nick Hoffman also had 2 hits an RBI and picked up the win in relief. Xander Rojahn, who pitched the first 4 innings and fanned eight, had a pair of doubles and an RBI. Mark Matos and Shane Crimmins each had 2 hits, while Bobby Bolzano had a hit and 2 RBI, driving in a run with a sweet safety squeeze.

Hersey (6-5, 0-2) rallied from a 3-0 deficit to take a 4-3 lead in the fifth inning. But the Huskies, who made 5 errors, just couldn't hold the lead.

"I was really disappointed with our energy," Hersey coach Wally Brownley said. "I thought we were a little flat to start. We did claw back. But we have to catch the ball. You just can't do that at this level."

Hersey had some big hits if its own. AJ Ceffalio had 2 hits including a triple, Hunter Luke had a double and single, Daniel Clawson homered deep to center and James Denten drove in 2 runs with a hit by pitch and fielders choice.