Lockport Walks Off Against Homewood-Flossmoor

April 19, 2016

By Drew Locascio
Illinois Scouting Director

Lockport 2, Homewood-Flossmoor 1

LOCKPORT, IL – The Homewood-Flossmoor Vikings headed to Lockport to take on the Porters Tuesday afternoon. The Vikings sent junior right-handed pitcher Augie Schlaffer to mound while the Porters countered with senior right-handed pitcher Michael Stevens, a Blackhawk JC commit. With the wind blowing in and the temperature dropping, the game saw a limited number of hits and a final score of Lockport 2, Homewood-Flossmoor 1.

With the game scoreless in the top of the second, Cobi Sabo drew a leadoff walk for the Vikings. Sabo stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. After a one out walk to Justin Correll, Homewood-Flossmoor (6-5) had runners on the corners with one out. Correll then attempted to steal second. Lockport catcher fired the ball to third base trying to catch Sabo, the runner at third, sleeping. Instead, the throw hit Sabo in the back and ricocheted into shallow left allowing Sabo to score and giving the Vikings a 1-0. The Vikings would hold onto that lead until the bottom of the seventh.

Both starting pitchers, Stevens and Schlaffer, had to deal with a number base-runners due to a fair share of walks and a couple of defensive miscues. Lockport’s starter, Stevens, threw a complete game and did not allow a hit after the first inning. In his seven innings he gave up two hits, struck out five and walked four. Schlaffer, the Vikings starting pitcher, walked six, hit a batter and only allowed one hit in six and a third innings of work.

With Homewood-Flossmoor leading 1-0 in the bottom of the seventh, the Porters were down to their final three outs. With Schlaffer still on the mound, the first hitter of the inning popped up into foul territory. First baseman Bernie Coderre, leaned into the first base dugout and with an outstretched arm, snared the foul ball for the first out of the inning. Following the sensational play by Coderre the game seemed all but over.

However, Schlaffer seemed to run out of gas and proceeded to load the bases, due to a hit batter and consecutive walks. With the bases loaded, one out and Steven Salvino due up the Vikings went to bullpen for left-hander Carter Schultz. After fouling off a couple of pitches, Salvino barreled a ball to first base that could not be handled and allowed the tying run to score. With the game tied and bases still loaded, Schultz got the following hitter to strikeout for the second out of the inning. Augustana recruit, Jake Huber, then came to the plate for the Porters. Huber took a fastball early in the count and drove the ball into the right-center gap. The Viking right-fielder seemed to have a beat on it, until he slipped and the ball landed over his head, giving Huber the game-winning RBI and a walk off 2-1 victory for Lockport.

Statistical Highlights

+ RHP Michael Stevens (Lockport) – 7IP, 2H, 1R, 0ER, 5K, 4BB
+ RHP Augie Schlaffer (Homewood-Flossmoor) – 6.1IP, 1H, 2R, 0ER, 5K, 6BB, HBP
+ SS Jake Huber (Lockport) – 1-for-3, Game-winning RBI, BB