PBR DAILY ROUNDUP

May 5

By Drake Skleba

Big 12

Bloomington (22-5; 7-1) moved into the Big 12 penthouse with a twin-bill sweep of Urbana 8-0 and 13-8.

In the conference opener, Purple Raider junior Roman Visintine (5-0) fired a complete-game masterpiece at Urbana. White-hot Raider junior Brandon Edwards had three more hits and two RBI. Senior Matt Mardis continued his fine hitting with two hits and two RBI.

In the nonconference nightcap the Raiders won a 13-8 slugfest. Edwards (2-0) picked up the win on the mound for the Raiders and added a pair of hits. Junior Jayden Thompson had a 3-for-4 day with three RBI to lead the Bloomington attack. Thompson ran wild on the base paths as he pilfered four bases. Phil Gregory chipped in with a pair of hits and ribbies.

Mattoon (16-9; 4-2) surprised No. 7 Normal West (22-6; 6-2) in the conference opener, 4-3, on Saturday in Mattoon. The Green Wave won it on a huge Wildcat miscue in the bottom of the seventh.

Normal West routed the Green Wave 15-4 in the nonconference second game. University of Illinois junior recruit, Matthew James, was a homer short of hitting for the cycle and drove in four Wildcat runs. NIU-bound 3B Wes Sery went 4-for-4, and also fell a homer short of hitting for the cycle while driving in three Wildcat runs.

Catholic Blue

No. 4 Providence (21-6, 11-2) prevailed in its huge CCL-Blue showdown with No. 1 Mount Carmel (24-3; 10-3) at Tom Dedin Field 6-4 on Saturday. Arizona-bound Ryan Koziol hit a three-run bomb off Mount Carmel ace Tyler Laurish (8-2) to highlight a five-run Celtic second-inning explosion.

University of Notre Dame-bound RHP David Hearne (4-1) pitched four innings for the Celtics to pick up the win. The two teams will square off again on Monday at Haggerty Field in Chicago at 4:30.

No. 2 St. Laurence (25-3-1; 11-2) beat Loyola 4-2 behind Viking junior RHP Kevin Smith (7-0). Smith fired a four-hitter at the Ramblers and Viking sophomore 2B Mike Kornacker drove in a run, as the Vikings kept pace with Providence in the CCL-Blue. 

St. Rita (18-8; 9-4) defeated Brother Rice (16-12; 7-6) on Saturday. (See Sean Duncan’s story)

Catholic White

De La Salle (19-8; 12-4) beat Fenwick 4-3 when Western Michigan-bound Pat Haynes hit a bomb in the ninth to make a winner of SIU-bound Anthony Shimkus.

Central Suburban Crossovers

No. 14 Maine South (21-3; 11-0) rolled past Deerfield 7-3 behind senior SS Rocky Saavedra and Mike Virgillio (5-0).  Saavedra had two hits and plated a run for the CSL-South leaders. Virgillio allowed three hits in his five solid innings of work on the mound for the Hawks.

Glenbrook South (18-7; 8-3 South) defeated district-rival Glenbrook North 7-3 behind Northwestern-bound 1B Zach Jones. Jones had a pair of doubles for the Titans with an RBI. Titan junior LHP Ryan Pauly (5-1) picked up the win on the mound for GBS. Glenbrook North falls to (20-8; 8-3 North)

On Tuesday, the Titans will make their CSL-South last-stand as they invade Park Ridge to take on CSL-South leader Maine South at 4:45. Senior RHP Pat Aloisio (7-0) for Maine South will square off with GBS’s Indiana University-bound LHP Sully Stadler (6-0). You can watch the game LIVE at 4:45. Log on: www.prepbaseballreport.highschoolcube.com

The PBR’s Drake Skleba will have the play-by-play of this CSL South showdown.

New Trier (15-8; 7-4 South) beat Maine East 5-1 on Saturday.

Niles West (21-6; 7-4 South) defeated Highland Park 12-4 as junior Seth Rosenberg (7-1) struck out 10 Giants in his six solid innings of work.

DuPage Valley

Glenbard North blanked DVC leader Naperville Central 1-0. GBN won behind a two-hit shutout from Logan Henshel. Henshel struck out five Redhawk hitters. Panther Ryan Gallagher singled home the eventual game-winner in the sixth. Naperville Central (17-10; 11-4), falls into a three-way tie in the DVC.

Naperville North (16-10; 10-4) won for the 11^th straight time defeating West Aurora 8-4 behind senior Mariano Long…Wheaton North (17-10; 10-4) blanked Glenbard East 3-0 to create the three-way log-jam atop the DVC standings.

East Suburban Catholic

Carmel (16-8; 9-1) thrilled the large contingent of Corsair fans gathered in Mundelein by shutting out No. 8 Marist (20-7; 8-2) 4-0 and 5-0 to vault into first-place in the ESCC.

In game one junior RHP Matt Ryan fired a four-hit shutout at the Redhawks, striking out six. In the nightcap, TCU-bound Alex Young struck out 10 and fired five shutout innings at Marist.

No. 5 Joliet Catholic Academy (19-6-1; 8-2) split a pair of 2-1 contests with St. Viator on Saturday. In game one Hilltopper junior C Alex Voitik’s sac-fly won it in the bottom of the 12th. Senior John Chignoli (2-1) picked up the win on the mound for JCA.

No. 10 Nazareth (22-3; 6-2) swept away Notre Dame 2-1 in eight thrilling in the opener and then took the nightcap 4-2. In the opener, in only his third varsity appearance at the plate, junior Dan Kienzle  singled home the game-winner in the bottom of the eighth. Roadrunner junior RHP Kyle Piotrowski (4-0) picked up the win in relief.

In game two, Roadrunner sophomore RHP Pete Minella (1-0) and senior lefty Ed Gengo combined to shut down the Dons in the game two Roadrunner win. Minella allowed two runs in his varsity debut and Gengo slammed the door on ND with three scoreless innings to nail down the save. Roadrunner junior C Mike Stromberg singled and had two RBI for Nazareth.

Jackie Robinson South

Simeon (18-7; 9-2) smoked Brooks 18-0 in five innings behind a no-hitter from Wolverine Terrance Robertson. The fantastic freshman fanned nine Brooks batsmen. Louisville-bound Cory Ray fell a homer short of hitting for the cycle and plated six Wolverine runs. Sophomore Darius Day had two hits and four RBI and Boogie Clifton chipped in with a three-hit, three RBI day for the JR-South leaders.

South Suburban Blue

Lemont (15-7; 11-2) swept away Bremen 3-0 and 12-2 in five innings to keep pace with Oak Forest (19-4; 12-2). Indian senior LHP Fred Schuett fired five scoreless innings at the Braves to pick up the win on the mound for Lemont. University of Illinois-bound Tyler Jay had a big two-run double and Indian senior Jeff Worsech went deep for the third Indian run.

In game two, sophomore LHP Jake Latz went the distance and struck out seven Brave hitters. Jay had another RBI double.

Upstate 8 River

St. Charles East (17-7; 15-3) swept away Elgin Larkin 3-1 and 8-1 to open up a three-game lead, one in the loss column, in the River. Fighting Saint Luke Ludke (4-1) went the distance in the opener and struck out seven Royal hitters.

In game two junior Nick Huskisson (3-2) fired a three-hitter at Larkin with seven strikeouts.

St. Charles North (16-8; 10-4) swept Streamwood 7-3 and 6-1 on Saturday.

Wright State-bound John Brodner had a perfect 3-for-3 game with an RBI and two runs scored in the game one North Star win.

Geneva (18-6; 10-6) split with Batavia, dropping the first game 4-1 and bouncing back to win game two 5-3.

Upstate 8 Valley

Neuqua Valley (19-7; 13-3) swept away South Elgin 2-1 and 13-0 in five innings to vault into first place in the U8C-Valley. Wildcat junior Jeff Evak’s suicide-squeeze bunt drove home the eventual game-winner in the top of the seventh. The bunt single was the third of the game for Evak and fourth hit of the game for the talented junior. Fellow Wildcat junior David Gerber (5-0) knocked the Storm down in the seventh to finish up his two-hit masterpiece.

In game two, senior Tanner Giesel, Nick Iarrobino, and senior Joe Grabartis all plated a pair of runs as the Wildcats destroyed the Storm in five innings. University of Illinois RHP Nick Blackburn (5-3) fired a one hitter at South Elgin (16-6; 13-5).

West Suburban Gold

Hinsdale South (21-4; 12-2) swept away second place Addison Trail (18-10; 10-4) on Saturday (See Drake Skleba’s story).

Downers Grove South swept Willowbrook 2-1 and 1-0. In game one, Nick Vanekand Nick Alfino combined for the victory. Joe Becht drove in both runs with a fourth-inning double. In game two, junior RHP Zach Burdi allowed four hits in a complete-game victory for the Mustangs.

West Suburban Silver

Oak Park (17-6-1) split with Downers Grove North. In game one, the Huskies prevailed 5-0 behind a no-hitter by Seton Hall-bound LHP/OF Zack Weigel. Weigel struck out 11 and walked four. Weigel has thrown 13 consecutive no-hit innings. Downers North won the second game 6-4.

Nonconference

No. 6 Mundelein (22-4) defeated McHenry 8-3 behind Butler-bound RHP Chris Maranto. Maranto fired a complete-game at the Warriors (16-12) and had two hits and two RBI for the Mustangs.

No. 16 O’Fallon (23-6) won the O’ Fallon/Troy-Triad Classic on Saturday.The Panthers hit Hazelwood Central with four in the first and cruised to a 6-1 win in the Panthers first game of the day at Blazier Field in O’Fallon. Panther junior Jake Turner fired a five-hitter in his first varsity appearance of the season.

The Panthers blanked CBC (MO) 2-0 behind a three-hitter from sophomore Ty Hebert (2-0). CBC falls to 16-7.

No. 11 Troy-Triad (22-5) picked up a pair of wins, defeating Timberland (MO) 8-4 and Fort Zumwalt South (MO) 13-3.

No.17 Edwardsville (21-7) won the Tiger Classic at Tom Pile Filed in Edwardsville on Saturday. After losing to Lockport 4-2 on Friday night, the Tigers rebounded for a pair of victories on Saturday.

The Tigers beat Highland 6-5 and then came back and crushed Chatham Glenwood 13-3 in eight innings. Chatham Glenwood (20-7) defeated Lockport 6-5 in the nightcap of the tourney. Lockport (17-10) blasted Highland 13-4.

Edwardsville, Glenwood and Lockport all had 2-1 tournament records and the title was awarded to the Tigers on the least runs allowed tie-breaker.

The NIB-12 West co-leaders La Salle-Peru (20-6) scored three runs in the top of the eighth to defeat East Peoria on Saturday.

Herscher (25-6, 10-3) really enjoyed using wood bats as the Tigers won the St. Joseph-Ogden Wooden Bat Tourney in St. Joseph. In the Tiger first game, a 10-0 win over Monticello in five innings, Tiger junior lefty Jimmy Brandt faced 15 Monticello hitters and sent 15 Monticello hitters down firing a five-inning perfect game.

In game two the Tigers continued their wooden bat onslaught, crushing the hosts St. Joseph-Ogden 12-0 in five innings. Tiger junior C Evan Regez had a 5-for-6 day at the plate and is hitting a robust team leading .511 for Herscher.

On Monday, the Tigers will travel to Manteno (27-3; 11-2) to meet the Panthers in the first of a huge two-game I-8 South series. The PBR’s Drake Skleba will be in Manteno for all of the action. The two teams will meet in Herscher on Tuesday.

Morton (22-5) won a pair on Saturday. The Potters defeated Macon-Meridian and Roanoke-Benson by identical 2-1 scores.

Joliet West (16-11) blasted Lincoln-Way West 14-4 in a Southwest Suburban crossover contest on Saturday. Joliet West’s Matt Koran led the Tigers past the Warriors with a big 4-for-4 afternoon. Koran had two singles, two doubles, three stolen bases and drove home six Tiger runs. Not a bad afternoon for the red-hot Tiger. Lincoln-Way West falls to (18-10).

Vernon Hills (20-7) defeated Reavis behind junior Tyler Feece (8-1). Feece picked up the win on the mound and had two hits and two RBI to help himself at the plate. M.J. Crowley teamed up with Feece and senior Steve Nelson to combine on a five-hitter against the Rams.

Lincoln-Way East (14-10) outslugged Stagg 10-8 in a Southwest Suburban crossover affair on Saturday. Griffin Ryan Weitendorf’s fourth hit of the game, a two-run bomb in the seventh, won it.

Putnam County (22-5) defeated Annawan-Weathersfield 4-3 in eight innings on Saturday in a battle of two of the top Class 1A schools in the state. A-W falls to 21-5.