By Sean Duncan

CRYSTAL LAKE, IL – Crystal Lake South has flown under the radar for much of the season, despite having won 21 games already.

Well, the Gators made more than just the Fox Valley Conference take notice on Thursday, when they rallied for two runs in the seventh to upend No. 22 Prairie Ridge, 6-5. The road victory capped a two-game sweep of Prairie Ridge (18-9, 10-3), and put Crystal Lake South (21-7, 12-2) in first place in the FVC-Valley Division.

Trailing 5-4 heading into the seventh, South loaded up the bases with no outs, thanks to an infield single, an error and a hit-by-pitch. The Gators tied the game on a double play putout, and Prairie Ridge appeared to have dodged serious damage when Jordan Van Dych hit a chopper to sure-handed shortstop Kyle Hodorowicz. The ball, however, took a crooked hop over Hodorowicz’s shoulder, enabling Will Ahsmann to score the eventual game-winner.

Clinging to a 6-5 advantage, South coach Brian Bogda brought in senior right-hander Zack Geib to close out the game. Good move. Geib struck out three straight batters, all looking, to secure the two-game sweep. South had won the first game 2-0 previously.

South junior left-hander Tyler Hall pitched solidly in his six-inning stint, allowing seven hits and five runs. He struck out four and walked two, both in the first inning.

South’s bats were relatively quiet throughout – except for the third inning, when the Gators scored four runs on four consecutive singles to mount a 4-1 advantage. Senior catcher Dom Winiecki delivered the big blow with a two-run single.

Prairie Ridge junior centerfielder Jordan Geltzelman, who’s the reigning Porsche Exchange Player of the Week, continued his torrid hitting. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound Getzelman blasted a two-run homer to left field in the bottom of the third to slice South’s lead to 4-3. Getzelman finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored and a walk. Last week, Getzelman hit five homers, five doubles and tallied 18 RBI and 15 runs to earn Player of the Week honors.

Prairie Ridge took the lead in the fifth when senior catcher Matt Krenz lined a two-run single to right field.

Scouting Notes:

• Prairie Ridge junior left-hander Mike Reitcheck was impressive in his spotless two innings of relief. The 5-foot-10, 180-pounder was summoned into the game with runners on first and second and no outs in the fifth. Reitcheck proceeded to pick a runner off of second base, then got a strikeout and a fly out to get out of the jam. Reitcheck dialed his fastball up to 86 mph, sitting 84-85. He also showed a firm 77-78 mph changeup. He struck out two in two innings.

• Prairie Ridge starting RHP Lucas Keller is a strong-bodied 6-foot-3, 200-pound unsigned senior. Keller, who works from a 3/4 arm angle, pitched at 81-84 mph, topping at 85 with some arm-side sink.

• Opinion: Prairie Ridge senior catcher Matt Krenz is one of – if not the best – catch-and-throw guys – in the state. Krenz is signed at John A. Logan JC.

• Crystal Lake South junior 1B Max Meitzler has five home runs this season. Meitzler had a sacrifice fly during the Gators’ four-run third inning.