No. 7 Nazareth Cruises Past Kenwood

No. 7 Nazareth hosted Kenwood on Thursday afternoon in a non-conference battle. A big five-run fourth inning broke the game open for Nazareth and they would go on to cruise to a 9-1 win over the Broncos of Kenwood.

Junior Sebastian Gutierrez came off the bench with one-out in the bottom of the fourth for Nazareth. Gutierrez delivered the first RBI of the five-run inning, a line-drive single back up the middle that scored freshman Cooper Malamazian who reached via a one-out walk. Luke Brabham, the PBR Player of the Week thanks to his performance last week for the Roadrunners, followed up with an RBI to right-field two batters later. Wylder Guido, a senior Wisconsin-Eau-Claire commit, capped off the scoring with a two-run double to right-center field. Guido finished the game with three RBIs and a run scored.

Nazareth (11-2) also scored three runs in the first and one more in the third to account for their nine runs. The first four batters reached safely in the bottom of the first to set the tone for the Roadrunners. Lucas Smith and Brabham singled and scored in the frame while unsigned senior Ryan Smith drove an RBI triple to center field. 

Four arms combined to limit Kenwood to one run and five hits on the day. LHP Joseph Milano, a Morton JC commit, got the start and win, going four innings, scattering four hits, one run, one walk and two strikeouts. Uncommitted junior Sebastian Gutierrez was arguably the most impressive arm of the day. Gutierrez went one inning of no hit baseball, striking out two and walking one. Gutierrez ran his fastball up to 87 mph a couple of times, sitting comfortably at 83-86. Gutierrez also mixed in an 11/5 curveball at 66-68 mph with T2531 rpm and flashed a late diving swing-and-miss changeup at 73 mph.

Kenwood (3-3-1) got on the board with their one run of the game in the top of the first inning. Freshman Khamaree Thomas singled to left center with one out and proceeded to steal second base. Fellow freshman, Savion Flowers then delivered a two-out RBI single back up the middle to center field. Senior RHP Aubrey Yarbrough walked the first batter he faced out of the bullpen and then settled in and was flawless sitting down the next six batters he faced in order, four of them via strikeout. Yarbrough was able to work the outside corner of the plate with a late-running fastball that sat 82-83 mph. 

NOTABLE PERFORMANCES

+ Luke Brabham (Nazareth): 2-for-3, 2B, RBI, 2 R
+ Wylder Guido (Nazareth): 3-for-3, 2B, 3 RBI, R
+ Khamaree Thomas (Kenwood): 2-for-3, R, SB
+ Savion Flowers (Kenwood): 1-for-3, RBI
+ Aubrey Yarbrough (Kenwood): 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 4 K, BB

For more in-depth notes from the games - and all other games that we cover - visit the Illinois Scout Blog.

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