By Matt Huck
Area Scout

MUNDELEIN, IL – In a matchup of two of the top arms in Lake County, Libertyville came away with a 6-4 win over No. 2 Mundelein.

On a miserable day for baseball with temps in the low 40s, cloud cover, and the occasional rain shower, Brendan Murphy and Riley Gowens matched up in what most thought was going to be a pitchers duel. That all changed when Ben Arnold leadoff the game with a double to the fence for the Wildcats. With one out Dan Marks doubled in Arnold with the first run of the game. Arnold eventually came around to score to give Libertyville a 2-0 lead in the first.

Riley Gowens took the hill and retired the Mustangs in order, striking out two. Gowens showed a lively fastball at 88-89 mph in the first. Gowens is one of the top uncommitted players in the Illinois 2018 Class. He finished the game with five plus innings pitched, five hits, four runs, and struck out eight to pick up the win.

Murphy was erratic in his outing, but did flash a swing and miss changeup in the first inning with late fading and sinking action at 80-81 mph in front of a number of scouts in attendance.

Holding a 6-4 lead in the bottom of the seventh, Mundelein was able to get two runners on with two outs. Brendan Murphy stepped to the plate, and Libertyville went to the pen to bring in Colin Fields. Fields got ahead in the count with a slider first pitched and got Murphy to swing thru a fastball for strike two. Fields finished off the game with an 86 mph fastball running away from Murphy that he swung and missed at for the final out.

Steven Sanchez went 2-2 with a two run homer for the Mustangs. Game two of the three game set continues tomorrow at Libertyville. 

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