LIBERTYVILLE, IL - Libertyville hosted Mundelein on Monday afternoon, in the first of three North Suburban conference games between the two, that will take place this week. Behind the left-arm of Steven Sanchez and a couple of heads up plays, the Mustangs of Mundelein (15-5) took home game one 3-0.

Sanchez, an Arkansas commit, was on his game from the start, striking out the first four Libertyville hitters to start the game and seven of the first nine. He ended up twirling six innings of shutout baseball, surrendering one hit, three walks and striking out 12. Early on in the outing the hulking left-hander was living at the knees with an 88 mph and dropping in a late-breaking curveball that received a number of swing and misses for good measure. Senior shortstop, Ryan Patel, came out in the seventh inning to close things out and pick up the save. Patel struck out two in his one inning of work, mainly behind a fastball that was climbing into the upper-80’s.

Despite taking the loss, Libertyville (17-5) starter Riley Gowens had the crowd buzzing in his own right. The Illinois commit, came out hot, running his fastball into the low-90’s with late life and sink. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound, right-hander has a loose, fast arm and was going right after the Mustangs lineup. To the Mustangs credit they did not back down and took pesky, competitive at-bats all game long. Gowens ended up going five innings, giving up four hits, two earned runs, struck out two and walked three.

Mundelein got on the board in the second inning thanks to a first and third play put on with two outs. The runner at first base purposely got into a run down between first and second buying enough time for Austin Greco to take off for home and score easily before being tagged out. Greco had reached on a two-out walk to start the rally.

The Mustangs got on the board again in the fifth inning with another two-out rally. Tyler Yakimisky reached on an infield single and Jared Dorfman followed with a single to left field. The big hit of the inning was then delivered by Drew Breitenreiter who lined a single right back up the middle which scored Yakimisky. Dorfman would then attempt to steal third base and scored the third and final run for Mundelein as the throw from the catcher made its way into left field.’

One of the best chances for Libertyville to score came in the fourth inning when the first two hitters of the frame reached base. Sanchez was up to the task however striking out the next two hitters and inducing a weak pop up to shortstop to end the threat.

Breitenreiter paced the Mustang offense finishing 2-for-3 with an RBI and a walk.

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

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