Baseball: Hopper helps Palatine down rival Fremd

Without a warmup, Palatine hopped past Fremd Tuesday.

Palatine's Danny Hopper came on in relief in the second inning without throwing a warmup pitch. The junior showed that he was ready to go. He pitched 6 innings of near flawless baseball to help the Pirates come from behind to beat crosstown rival Fremd 7-4 Tuesday in Palatine.

"Coach told me I was first in relief," said Hopper, who moved from playing third base to the mound when he was summoned by coach Paul Belo.

"So I was ready. I didn't warm up. I was ready for it. I thought I threw real well."

Fremd (10-14, 8-8 Mid-Suburban West) scored twice in the first thanks to a base-loaded 2-run single by Jaden Salazar driving in Jack Graba, who tripled, and Nick Varon, who walked.

The Vikings had just gone one time through their lineup and had runners on second and third when Belo called on Hopper. After allowing a single to Jack Kalitowski to score Ryan McIlhon, Hopper settled into his role quickly.

"The momentum was really swinging their way," Belo said. "I felt it was time to stop the momentum. Hop knew that he was always going to be in relief so it was an easy decision. He has played on multiple teams and multiple situations and we felt he was ready."

With the situation on the mound now in check, Palatine (17-8, 11-5) could focus on getting its offense in gear.

The Pirates picked up a pair of runs in the bottom of the third to cut the margin to 3-2. D.J. Dick walked and Tyler Klipowicz singled. Ryan Dysangco then singled down the right-field line, scoring Dick and Klipowicz.

"I just needed to pick the boys up," Dysangco said. "I was looking for a fastball and I took it to right field."

Palatine, which finished second in the MSL West, broke the game open with a five-spot in the fifth.

Palatine took advantage of a pair of Fremd errors to tie the game. Dysangco, who reached on an error, drove home Klipowicz, who was hit by a pitch. Eric Pecson then had a 2-run single to make it 5-3. Nate Branch then belted a towering 2-run homer to give the Pirates some breathing room.

"He threw me two change-ups in a row," said Branch, who is a sophomore and hit his first varsity career home run.

"The second one it was just sitting there. I got my hands through the zone and that ball just started flying. I got the ball and it's definitely going on the dresser when I get home."

Fremd finally got to Hopper in the top of the seventh. Drew Seidel doubled home Varon, who also doubled. But Hopper ended the game with a strikeout for the win.

"We had a chance to blow the game open early and we just didn't come through with it," said Fremd coach Chris Piggott, whose team left 4 runners on base in the first two innings.

"It sounds like our season. We just have to hit."