By Drake Skleba
For the Bugle.
In a huge Southwest Prairie battle for third place, between the host Bengals of Plainfield East (13-2, 4-1) and the Indians of Minooka (8-4, 3-2), East’s centerfielder Jake Havis stepped to the plate. Trailing Minooka 3-2, Havis sent home Bengal Nation when he hammered a two-run, walk-off single, to give the Bengals sole possession of third place in the SPC, with the 4-3 win.
Billy Pierce picked up the Bengal win in relief, of Bengal starting pitcher Andrew Hoffman. Pierce shutdown the Indians in the sixth and seventh innings, setting up Havis’ heroics.
Dylan Crowder chipped in with two Bengal hits and an RBI
Minooka was led by Luke Faifer, who had two hits and an RBI for the Indians. WIU-bound Indian SS Hayden Laczynski also drove home an Indian run.
SOUTHWEST SUBURBAN RED
Lockport 2, Lincoln-Way East 1
In an early-season SWSC Blue battle, the Porters (11-2, 3-0) scored the tying run in the sixth and the walk-off winning run, in the bottom of the seventh on sac-flies Trailing 1-0, in the bottom of the sixth. Porter sophomore catcher Nick Schindler, who had doubled earlier, tied the game at 1-1 with a sac-fly.
With one out and the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh, Collin Woulfe sent Porter Nation dancing onto Divison Street, when his sac-fly plated Jimmy Heintz, with the Porter game-winner.
Rich Jesse Jr. fired 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief to pick up the win and improve to 3-0 on the season.
With the win the Porters take over first place in the SWSC Blue and lead Sandburg (10-3, 2-0). Lincoln-Way East falls to 13-2 and 2-1in the SWSC Blue. The two clubs square-off again in Frankfort on Monday.
SOUTHWEST PRAIRIE
Plainfield South 9 Plainfield Central 8 (8 innings)
The Cougars rallied from a 7-4 deficit to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings and then took home the win over cross-town rival Wildcats.
Plainfield South (10-2, 5-0) stays atop the SPC standings with Oswego East (9-3, 5-0)
South will be at Oswego East on Monday and back home against the Wolves on Wednesday
AJ Manucci and Justin McGuigan, led South with two RBIs, apiece, while Tony Mosher had three hits for South.
With the loss, Central falls to 9-6 overall and 2-3 in SPC.
David Ascensio and Jack Lindish had three hits for Central. Sophomore catcher Trevor Wagnon added two hits and an RBI for Central.
Ryan Harty (4-0) picked up the win in relief for South.
Oswego East 15, Joliet Central 0 (5 innings)
Oswego East (9-3, 5-0) stayed atop the SPC with Plainfield South (10-2, 5-0) with the five inning shutout on Thursday.
Joliet Central falls to 7-7 and 0-5 in SPC play.
Plainfield North 16 Romeoville 2 (4 1/2 innings)
Gavin Doyle drove home five runs, to lead the Tigers (8-4, 3-2) to the SPC win on Thursday. Brady Miller added three hits and two RBI while Cam Kissel, chipped in with a pair of hits and two RBI.
Keegan Bates was the winning pitcher for the Tigers.
Joliet West 10, Oswego 5
The Tigers (5-10, 1-4) surprised the Panthers (8-4, 2-3) on Thursday. Mark Garcia led the Tiger attack with four RBIs. Dylan Wolff chipped in with a pair of Tiger ribbies. Sophomore Dylan Suca, went the distance ,scattering 11 hits, for the win on the mound for West.
EAST SUBURBAN CATHOLIC
Joliet Catholic Academy 5 Marian Catholic 4 (8 innings)
The defending ESCC champion Hilltoppers (9-3, 2-0), went the extra-effort to go to 2-0 in the ESCC at Gillespie Field on Thursday. A ball off the bat of Chris Knapczyk, scored the walk-off winner in the bottom of the eighth, sending jubilant Hilltopper fans dancing onto Larkin Avenue.
Matt Bebar, drove home a pair of Hilltopper runs while Greg Ziegler and Jared Cushing, each had a pair of hits for JCA. Notre-Dame bound Aidan Tyrell (4-1) fired two shutout innings in relief to pick up the win on the mound.
CENTRAL SUBURBAN NORTH
Vernon Hills 13 Maine East 3
Demons (5-5, 1-2) fell on Thursday to the Cougars (7-6, 1-2)
EAST SUBURBAN CATHOLIC
St. Viator 8, Benet Academy 3
The Redwings (5-6,1-1) fell to the Lions (9-3, 1-1) in Arlington Heights on Thursday. Nick Hoeppel, had a hit and two RBIs for the Redwings. Aaron Staehely chipped in with a pair of hits, for Benet
Marist 4 Notre Dame 3
The Dons (4-5, 0-1) fell a run short in Mt. Greenwood on Thursday. Kyle Schuster gave the Dons a 3-1 lead in the top of the fourth, when he blasted a three-run bomb. Marist (9-4, 1-1) answered with three runs in the bottom of the fourth and went on to the ESCC win
WEST SUBURBAN SILVER
Downers Grove North 4 Hinsdale Central 3
After Hinsdale Central (5-6, 1-5) grabbed a 3-2 lead in the top of the ninth, Trojan Cam Demos struck again. Demos sent partying Trojan fans onto Saratoga Avenue, when he launched a walk-off two-run homer, to give DGN (5-7, 5-2) the thrilling victory.
Demos who had three hits on the day, drove home the first two Trojan runs of the game in the bottom of the second inning, for a 2-0 lead.
Ben Rodenbostel, allowed one run in his three solid innings of relief, to pick up the Trojan win on the mound.