By Drake Skleba

 

LISLE - In an important Interstate 8 North Division battle on Tuesday, Lisle used a complete-game performance by Clemson-bound Jon Surber to hold off Coal City 4-3. The right-hander improved to 4-0 on the season thanks in large part to the youngest members of the Lion squad.

 

With Lisle hanging on to a 4-3 lead in the top of the sixth, Coal City had runners on first and second and nobody out. Coaler catcher senior Andy Agamy hit a sharp hopper up the middle, which appeared ticketed for centerfield, when Lion freshman shortstop Steve Accetturo snared the hopper, tagged second and fired a laser to Lion first baseman Nick Thome for the double play. Surber retired the next Coaler hitter to preserve the Lion lead.

 

“I was just doing my job,” said Accetturo. “I have to make that play. We had to win this game against Coal City.”

 

In the Lion half of the third, fellow freshman left fielder Ryan Van Volkenberg ripped a clutch two-out RBI single to give the Lions a 1-0 lead. It was the Lions first hit of the game off Coal City starting and losing pitcher sophomore Brandon Tidaback (2-1). Surber followed with a double to right-center to score Van Volkenberg with the second run of the inning.

 

“After last night’s loss at Coal City, we had to come back today and win this game,” said Van Volkenberg. I had a good day at the plate and was happy to contribute the clutch RBI single to give us the lead.”

 

The two third-inning runs were unearned and the Lions, who had only three hits, added another pair of unearned runs in the fourth. After sophomore catcher Kazim Kahn’s ground ball went though the Coaler third baseman for an error, scoring senior John Kolosky, who also had reached on error, senior 2B Ryan Liss crushed a Tidaback pitch for a double to score another, making it 4-0.  

 

Meanwhile, Surber was toughest when in trouble. In the fourth he escaped a bases loaded situation with one out by getting a key strikeout and then receiving some help from 1B Thome, who made a great stop on a rocket by Agamy to keep the Coalers off the board.

 

In the sixth, Coal City (13-9, 6-3) struck for their three runs. Tidaback and senior LF Tom Taylor (2-for-3, R) singled. Senior DH Billy McMillan took an 85 mph Surber fastball in the back to load the bases. Senior Jake Van Duyne (2-for-3, RBI) singled home a run and junior Even Frantini ripped a single, plating two more Coaler runs to bring the Coalers within one. Then Accetturo stopped the bleeding and Surber did the rest.

 

“We could not make the routine play and it cost us the game,” said Coal City head coach Jerry McDowell.  “We hit the ball well against a quality pitcher and fell just a little short today. Brandon Tidaback pitched a great game for us.”

 

Surber blew away the first two Coaler hitters in the seventh, his eighth and ninth strikeouts of the game, and then closed out the win fittingly by retiring the hard-luck Tidaback on a grounder to Thome with Surber covering on the play.

 

“It was a strange sixth inning and Steven made a great play to get us out of the inning,” said Surber. “In a close game, two-out RBI hits are keys to winning. We all had clutch hits to help us win this game. I didn’t have my best stuff tonight but I hit my spots and my pitches were working well.This was a big conference win for us and although our conference is tough, we would like to win the North championship.”

 

With the win, the Lions are tied with Sandwich (12-10; 6-2 North). Sandwich hosted Westmont today and if the Sentinels defeated the Indians today the Lions would be all alone on top of the North Division standings.

 

“It was a strange game,” said Lisle head coach Pete Meyer. “We are cruising along 4-0 and then they hit us with a three spot. Jon Surber pitched outstanding for us,  getting the big double play ball and shutting down Coal City with the tying run on third.”  

 

Meyer added: “What a tremendous play by freshman Steven Accetturo on the double play. Ryan, Jon and Ryan Liss all had clutch two-out RBI hits that were the key to this victory.”