By Sean Duncan

PLAINFIELD – Less than 10 minutes after No. 6 Plainfield North finished shaking hands with its neighborhood rival Plainfield Central at the conclusion of Tuesday’s game, the Tigers were back at work taking infield practice.

“We need to work,” said Plainfield North coach John Darlington, who in five years of the school’s existence has built a premier program. “We’ve had a lot of games, so we need to practice.”

One would think that Plainfield North had lost the game – and in sloppy fashion. But no, North defeated Plainfield Central 4-3, though the win wasn’t exactly glamorous. Nevertheless, the win extended North’s Southwest Suburban Prairie winning streak to an astounding 34 games dating back to the end of the 2008 season.

“We’re not going to wow you,” said Darlington, whose team improved to 17-2, 10-0 in conference. “But we will outwork you. … We haven’t played well in the last week. But we got the win, and that’s the most important thing.”

 

The Tigers (17-2, 10-0) only managed six hits, but thanks to two stellar plays by senior shortstop Brad Porter, they spoiled a strong pitching performance by Plainfield Central senior right-hander Derek DeYoung (2-2). North manufactured the game-winning run in the fifth when Evan Whaley led off with a single, advanced to second on a bunt, tagged up on a fly out to reach third, and scored on a wild pitch to make it 4-3.

 

In the top half of the sixth, Plainfield Central (11-8, 5-5) threatened with runners on second and third. Nick Traina looked as though he had delivered a two-run hit into the left-center gap, but Porter made a full-extension leaping grab to get the Tigers out of the inning and ultimately preserve the win.

 

“I wasn’t really sure if I had a chance at it, but I went for it,” said Porter, who also made a diving catch in the fifth. Porter also walked twice at the plate, and turned two double plays, including one to end the game.

 

North trailed 3-1 before junior third baseman Brian Evak laced a two-run single in the fourth, scoring Scott Vachon and Alex Molek, to tie the game. Ben Gorgan (2-0) pitched two scoreless innings of relief to earn the victory. Gorgan relieved junior ace Sean Renzi, who struck out eight and walked three in five innings work. Renzi, who also had two hits at the plate, allowed six hits, four of which came consecutively during Central’s two-run third inning.

 

In Central’s third inning, Traina led off with a single, but was caught stealing. DeYoung followed with an infield single, then AJ Egner and sophomore Joe Sparacino delivered back-to-back doubles. The Tigers avoided a disastrous inning, however, thanks to a 6-3 double play.

 

“We were able to get guys on, but we weren’t able to execute the little things,” said Central coach Bob Dobbertin.

 

DeYoung, who’s committed to Oakton CC, was a tough-luck loser. Using an 85-88 mph and a tight slider and changeup, he threw a six-hit complete game with seven strikeouts to three walks.