By Drake Skleba

 

EVANSTON- Maine South senior right-hander Ronnie Muck fired a complete-game three-hitter and sophomore catcher  Jimmy Frankos had a clutch two-run single to lead Maine South past Evanston 3-1 on Thursday in a Central Suburban South matchup. Muck was outstanding, striking out 14, improving to 8-1 on the season. The future Fighting Illini, with the seven innings Thursday, he has now thrown just 41 innings on the year with nine decisions.

 

“Ronnie is simply unbelievable,” said Frankos. “He simply dominated out on the mound tonight. Four strikeouts in the seventh inning to finish the game and 14 overall. It’s just fun to be a part of it.”

 

Muck and Frankos also did in Evanston on Tuesday in Park Ridge, when Muck came into a 4-4 tie and pitched a scoreless seventh inning, striking out two. In the bottom of the seventh, Frankos sent the Hawk faithful home happy when he delivered the game-winning hit and the Hawks had a thrilling 5-4 win.

 

Thursday’s game started out as a great pitchers duel between Muck and Evanston sophomore right-hander Jordan Crawford (2-2). Muck and Crawford threw three hitless innings to start the game. Frankos delivered the first Hawk hit of the game, driving home a pair of runs and giving Muck all the runs he would need.

 

“I just wanted to put the ball in play,” said Frankos.  “With the terrible wind conditions we tried to hit the ball on the ground or hit line drives. I was able to get the ball into left field and get a couple of runs home for us.”

 

In the sixth, the Hawks added another run when senior right fielder Mike O’Connell came up with a clutch two-out RBI, driving in senior third baseman John Fabiano, who had singled. Fabiano scored two runs for the Hawks, having scored on Frankos’s hit in the fourth inning.

 

“We are always confident when Ronnie pitches,” said O’Connell. “I was able to get the hit and give us an insurance run.”

 

Muck allowed his first hit in the bottom of the fifth by Wildkit junior catcher Trevor Forde. The ‘Kits loaded the bases but were kept off the board when Muck overpowered the final Evanston hitter in the inning on his 10^th punch-out of the game.

 

In the seventh, Evanston (13-7; 5-2) broke through picking up a couple of hits, one by senior 3B David Stileman and another by junior pinch-hitter Nathan Clarke. On Clarke’s soft roller, in which he beat out, Stileman scored the lone Evanston run on a throwing error on the Hawk shortstop. Muck picked up his 13^th strikeout and third of the inning but had to do it again when the Evanston runner reached on a dropped-third strike. With Evanston runners on first and third, Muck took just three pitches to dispatch the final Wildkit for his 14^th K and fourth of the inning.

 

“Yeah, that was something I have never done before, having to get four strikeouts in one inning,” said Muck. “I really had great velocity on my fastball and my cutter was very good early in the game. Jimmy Frankos got the big hit for us today. Jimmy drove in the game winner as well on Tuesday.”

 

Evanston’s Crawford allowed two earned runs and four hits in his 6 1/3 innings of work. The talented sophomore struck out six and walked three.

 

“We didn’t have the proper approach at the plate today,” said Evanston head coach Frank Consiglio. “Jordan pitched well for us. There’s a lot of baseball still to be played and we can still win the CSL South.”

 

With the win, Maine South (13-5; 7-0) leads Glenbrook South (14-6; 6-1), by 1 game.

                                                    

“We didn’t execute early,” said Maine South coach Bill Milano. “Ronnie was outstanding today -104 pitches, 14 strikeouts. It was only his second complete game of the season. Jimmy Frankos is just a sophomore and did a great job for us.”