By Sean Duncan

OSWEGO – After graduating such a talented class from last year’s loaded squad, many thought Plainfield North would suffer through some growing pains this season.

Not quite.

With a lineup full of juniors, the No. 4-ranked Tigers have continued their winning ways; most recently, coming in the form of a ho-hum 6-0 Southwest Prairie victory over Oswego East on a chilly Wednesday afternoon.

Cory Evak, a 6-foot-6, 220-pound junior right-hander, improved to 4-0 by limiting Oswego East (4-7, 2-3) to four hits. Evak’s fastball topped at 83 mph, sitting in the 78-81 range on Wednesday.

Plainfield North (11-1, 4-1) provided Evak some wiggle room in the second inning, when the Tigers pushed across four runs thanks to three Oswego East errors, including consecutive miscues on sacrifice bunts.

Plainfield North extended its lead to 6-0 in the third, capped by senior Kyle Bledsoe’s RBI single. Notre Dame-bound Joey Cresta contributed two hits, and senior second baseman Caleb Kissell added two hits and two runs scored.

The Tigers, who are 60-3 over the last three years in Southwest Prairie Conference play, have been buoyed by their strong pitching contributions. Led by Cresta, the only pitcher with significant varsity experience, Plainfield North’s staff has a 1.10 ERA so far this season. Junior right-hander Brendan Miller (3-0) and junior left-hander Colton Smith have filled the pitching void for coach John Darlington.

Positionally, junior shortstop Kurt Palandech is one of the top athletes in the Class of 2013. Junior catcher Zach Trusk is one of the bigger sleepers in the Class of 2013. He’s an excellent defensive catcher with an accurate arm behind the plate, which was evident when he gunned down Oswego’s only base-stealing attempt. Junior Zach Zyburt is also delivering big offensive contributions for the Tigers.