By Sean Duncan

 

ORLAND PARK ? With temperatures in the 30s and a strong wind blowing in, it wasn?t exactly a hitter?s paradise Wednesday between two of the top programs in the state.

 

That is, except for Lyons Township outfielder Mike Pett.

 

The left-handed hitting senior blasted his first high-school home run, which provided all the offense No. 12 Lyons Township would need to defeat No. 18 Sandburg 1-0. The 5-foot-11, 160-pound Pett?s fifth-inning homer to right field helped the Lions improve to 2-0.

 

?No way I thought that was going out,? said Pett, the team?s No. 7 hitter.  ?I was guessing fastball, and usually that?s a strong assumption in a 3-2 count. It feels good; usually it?s the guys in the heart of the order who are coming up with the big hits.?

 

Pett collected two of the Lions? five hits against Sandburg (1-1). Three Lyons Township pitchers limited Sandburg (1-1) to only three hits, two of which were of the infield variety. After yielding a leadoff single to Nick Bates, Lions starting pitcher Zach Remijas shut down the Eagles? offense. The senior right-hander didn?t allow another hit in his four innings work.

 

Senior right-hander Jack Peth (1-0) allowed one infield single in two innings to pick up the win. Sophomore Keith Lehmann, who caught for the first six innings, then came in to seal the win. Lehmann, who?s ranked No. 6 in the Class of 2013, struck out two in the seventh behind an 85-88 mph fastball.

 

?I?m very pleased,? said Lyons Township coach George Ushela. ?It was a well-pitched game throughout. Remijas competes out there and he?s sneaky fast. ? Playing Sandburg always helps us measure where we are at.?

Pett?s home run spoiled a strong outing by Bates, who struck out six, walked none, and yielded four hits in five innings work. Bates, an athletic 6-foot, 180-pound right-hander, looks to be one of the top unsigned arms in the state. Bates showed consistent 85-86 mph velocity throughout the first four innings, and touched 87 mph on occasion. He also displayed a solid breaking ball and changeup.

 

?All in all, I was pleased with our pitchers and pleased with our defense,? said Sandburg coach Doug Sutor. ?The bats will come around. It?s hard to hit in 30-degree weather with the wind blowing in.?