Thursday, April 22 Roundup

 

By Drake Skleba

 

Normal West (12-5; 3-0) defeated cross-town rival Normal Community 5-1 behind a four-hit complete game gem by junior RHP Kyle Vaughn. Vaughn struck out four, improving his record to 5-0. Seniors Jason Cullen and Brock Stewart and juniors Adam Seifert and Erik Sipes had Wildcat RBIs as Normal West won its eight consecutive games for head coach Chris Hawkins. With the Big 12 victory, Normal West remains atop the Big 12 standings along with Bloomington and Champaign Centennial.

 

Bloomington (11-7; 3-0) crushed Decatur MacArthur 14-0 in five innings behind seniors Alan Ludwig and Ryne Dicken. Ludwig homered and drove in three runs and Dicken improved to 4-0 on the mound as the Purple Raiders kept pace in the Big 12.

 

Champaign Centennial (11-5;3-0) defeated cross-town rival Champaign Central 8-7 to keep pace with Normal West and Bloomington in the Big 12. Senior LF Jake Flessner and 6-foot-4 215 pound SS Dylan Hast homered for the Chargers.

 

No.2 Stevenson (15-1) slipped past Carmel 4-3 in Mundelein in a nonconference affair on Thursday. Patriot senior RHP Kyle Ruchim (2-0) threw a complete-game five-hitter at the Corsairs, striking out 10.

 

Catholic League Division leaders No.4 St. Laurence (18-1; 7-0) and No.11 Providence (15-4; 7-0) rolled to crossover wins on Thursday. St. Laurence defeated Seton Academy 11-1 in five innings behind junior Bryan Villanova. Villanova had four hits, including three doubles and drove in four Viking runs…Providence defeated Gordon Tech 12-4 behind junior Collin McEnery, who homered and drove in three in the Celtic romp.

 

St. Ignatius’ Wake Forest-bound SS/RHP Jack Fischer fired a complete game gem in leading the Wolfpack (11-5; 3-3) to a 4-2 Catholic League crossover victory. Fischer allowed one earned run and five hits while fanning seven Rambler hitters. Fischer also drove in a pair of runs to lead the Wolfpack offensively.

 

Mahomet Seymour’s (14-6;8-0) senior Brannon Kwiatkowski hammered three home runs and drove in seven as the Bulldogs crushed Normal U-High 13-3 in the Cornbelt Conference.

 

Plainfield North (15-1; 9-0) opened up a two-game lead in the Southwest Prairie Conference with a 1-0 victory over Plainfield East. St.Xavier University-bound RHP Scott Vachon (4-0) fired a one-hit shutout with seven strikeouts as he outpitched his sophomore brother, Plainfield East’s Scott Vachon… Minooka (17-5; 7-2) was ambushed 8-7 in eight innings at Oswego on Thursday. Minooka’s Mike Foltynewicz was a double shy of hitting for the cycle. Foltynewicz homered and tripled and drove in four RBIs in the defeat.

 

St. Charles North (13-3; 5-2) rolled past Bartlett 8-2 behind senior LHP Ryan Hudspeth (3-0) and leadoff man Jake Bergren. Hudspeth allowed two runs in a fine six inning performance and Bergren launched a two-run homer for the North Stars. Senior 3B Kevin Borst had three hits and drove in a pair of runs. Nebraska-bound SS Ryan Richardson and senior Chase Williams chipped in with a pair of hits and an RBI each.

 

In a battle beween the Fox Valley Conference divisional leaders, Huntley (14-2; 8-1), behind a 4-for-4 day from senior Chris Klein, defeated Prairie Ridge 10-8. Klein homered and drove in four Red Raider runs to help senior LHP Jeremy Ahillen (4-0) win his fourth win of the season. Prairie Ridge falls to 10-6 overall and 6-2 in the Fox Division…

 

Red-hot defending Valley champ Cary Grove (11-7; 7-3) swept past Grayslake Central 4-3 behind junior LHP Matt Panek. Panek fired a four-hit complete game gem at the Rams and drove in the game-winner on a squeeze bunt. Senior 3B Stuart Gaulke had a 3-for-3 day with an RBI and senior SS Chris Waylock added a pair of hits for C-G head coach Don Sutherland, whose club has won six straight. Grayslake Central falls to 11-5and 5-3 in the Fox one-game back of PR.

 

In a battle of Suburban Christian divisional leaders, Immaculate Conception (15-8; 7-2), behind a four hit day for junior catcher Jose Godinez, defeated Marian Central Catholic 3-2. Knight senior Matt McMahon doubled home a pair of runs and then nailed down the save for winning pitcher senior left-hander Kevin Nutley, who improves to 3-1.

 

In the Central Suburban South, Evanston and Maine South kept pace atop the Central Suburban South standings. Evanston (12-4; 5-0) blasted Niles West 14-0 in five innings behind a no-hitter from Kevin Rozinsky and a six-RBI day from Ken Horwat…Maine South (11-4; 5-0) kept pace with Evanston and hammered Waukegan 10-0 behind University of Illinois RHP Ronnie Muck, who improved to 6-1 on the season with the five-inning shutout.

 

In the Southwest Suburban Conference Blue, Lincoln-Way Central (13-5;3-1) pulled into a first place tie with Lincoln-Way East (10-7;3-1) as the Knights crushed Bolingbrook 11-1.Senior RHP Bryan Hennessey improved to 4-2 on the season with the complete games win. Lewis University-bound Tom Helwich had three hits to lead the Knights attack…Joliet stunned Lincoln-Way East 5-1 behind a complete game three-hitter by senior RHP Tyler Brown. Brown added an RBI single as well.