By Drake Skleba

MANTENO – On an icy March 29, a classic battle between two of the better Class 2A teams in the state took place at Manteno High School.

Manteno improved to 9-0 in 2012 with a spine-tingling 3-1 victory over Chicago Christen (9-2) in a game that lasted 81 minutes.

Manteno senior RHP Paul Dufrain (2-0) was outstanding on the mound for the Panthers. Dufrain fired a two-hitter at the hard-hitting Knights from Palos Heights. Dufrain allowed one unearned run and struck out six in his complete-game masterpiece.

“I wanted to throw strikes today,’ said Dufrain. “I’m very confident in my defense and they played great behind me today. My fastball was really working. I think the wind helped my velocity. I tried to take advantage of the elements.”

Manteno picked up a pair of runs in the bottom of the second against Chicago Christian ace RHP Trent Overzet (4-1). Reardanz walked to leadoff the inning and went to third on a double by senior Billy Liss. Panther junior SS Kevin Sloat drove home the first Panther run with a sac-fly. The Panthers picked up their second run of the inning on a RBI ground-out from junior RF Brett Gilbert.

Chicago Christian cut the lead in half on an RBI double from Knight SS Mike Kamp.

Manteno picked up a huge insurance run in the fifth, when Panther senior Joey DiLeo singled to center to drive home senior J.J. Witherow, increasing the Panther lead to 3-1. Witherow stole second prior to the hit for his 13^th steal of the season. The Panthers have 43 stolen bases this season.

“I was thinking originally to take the ball the opposite way,” said DiLeo. I hit the 3-1 pitch up the middle to give us a two-run lead which relieved a lot of pressure off us.”

Great defensive plays were the norm. In the top of the sixth, Witherow made a spectacular diving catch in centerfield, robbing Knight cleanup hitter Jon Lemmenes. Witherow, a wide receiver on the Panther football team, made a catch similar to ones he made before on the adjacent football field.

Not to be outdone, in the bottom of the sixth, Knight CF Trent Overzet, robbed Liss of extra bases with an equally spectacular diving stab.

With one out in the top of the seventh, Liss returned to slam the door on the Knights. With Kamp at the plate, the Knight leadoff man crushed a Dufrain fastball in the direction of Liss. Liss leaped to his left and snared the laser for the second out of the inning. DuFrain retired the final Knight hitter on a roller to Reardanz and the Manteno Panthers were 9-0.

“Paul pitched a wonderful game for us and we played great defense,” said Liss.

“I had a stinger from the catch on Kamp. It’s still killing me. I’ve struggled a little bit early and it was great to feel good at the plate today.”

Panther junior C Ryan Sample, ranked No. 56 in the Class of 2013, had a pair of hits and caught Dufrain’s masterpiece.

“Paul (Dufrain) laid down an iron-fist today on the mound,” said Sample. “If he continues to pitch that way we are going to win a lot of games this season. I was really dialed in today at the plate and hit the ball well.”

Manteno will look for wins No.10 and 11 as the Panthers host Gilman Iroquois West in a twin-bill at Manteno, Saturday at 11.

“Both teams really played fundamental baseball today,” said Manteno head coach Bret Pignatiello. “We really executed today and I’m proud of our effort to get this big victory. Paul (DuFrain) pitched a great game for us. Joey DiLeo’s hit was huge.”