By Drake Skleba
For the Bugle
In his last start, last Monday, the diminutive lefty with the Giant Arm, fired, six no-hit innings against Joliet West. Plainfield South’s 5-foot-7 lefty, Austin Richardson, combined for a no-hitter, with Griffin Lapp, leading the Cougars to a 2-0 win over the Tigers.
On Monday evening, in a battle for Southwest Prairie Conference supremacy, the Cougars were hosted by the SPC leaders, from Oswego East.
|With first place on the line, and on the road against a powerful Wolves’ team, Richardson (4-0), fired seven more no-hit innings, leading the Cougars to a 4-0 victory. With the win, Plainfield South (11-2, 6-0), moves into the SPC penthouse. They have a half-game lead over Oswego East. The two teams will meet at South, on Wednesday.
“I went out and tried to throw strikes,” Richardson said. “I didn’t have command of my curve ball but all my other pitches were working. My fastball was my best pitch and my defense was outstanding behind me.”
The 2016 IHSBCA/Phil Lawler Summer State Championship Game hero, AJ Mannucci, gave Richardson the only run he would need in the first inning.
With one out, Manucci, singled to left, scoring Cougar junior catcher Justin McGuigan, who had walked. When the Oswego East left fielder booted the ball, Cougar second baseman Connor Blake ( 3-for-4, 2B) streaked home for a 2-0 Cougar lead.
Richardson continued to mow the Wolves down. After three innings, Richardson had more hit batsman than he would allow hits in the game. In the second and third innings he would plunk two Wolves’ hitters.
In the fourth inning, the Cougar defense turned a crisp 6-4-3 double-play, Lapp to Blake to Cougar first baseman Cody Phillips, to close out the fourth.
In the top of the fifth, Blake scored from second on a throw to first base off a ground ball off the bat of Mannucci. 3-0 Cougars.
In the bottom of the fifth and sixth innings, Richardson proceeded to strike out six consecutive Wolves’ hitters. Richardson would finish with nine punch-outs and walk just one batter.
“Austin has been outstanding for us all season,” McGuigan said. “He was in complete control of all his pitches and led us to a huge victory and into first place.”
In the seventh, Blake doubled and would score his third run of the game for a 4-0 lead, heading into the bottom of the seventh.
Ground ball to Lapp – fires to Phillips. One out.
Fly ball to center. Mannucci is there – two outs.
Ground ball to Blake – tosses to Phillip and Richardson has done it.
He has just thrown a no-hitter, leading his Cougars to a 4-0 victory and into sole possession of first place, in the Southwest Prairie Conference.
“This was a great team win,” Mannucci said. “Austin was outstanding and we played great defense behind him. We are playing so well right now and it feels great to be in first place”
“Ever since I started coaching the No. 21 jersey was important to me,” Painfield South head coach Phil Bodine said. “The greatest baseball player I ever saw, wore No. 21 for the Pittsburgh Pirates. The late, great Roberto Clemente.
“I gave the No. 21 jersey this year to Austin. I saw something extra special in him and he certainly hasn’t given me any reason, to question my decision to give him the great No. 21. He was outstanding tonight but he has had, better command of his pitches, this season. He was effectively wild tonight which helped him.”
“We have to make the routine play and score a few runs per game to be effective,” Bodine added. “Our starting pitchers have been outstanding and we have stolen more bases than we had all of last season.”
SOUTHWEST SUBURBAN BLUE
Lincoln-Way East 2 Lockport 1
The Porters (11-5, 3-1) lost a heartbreaker, in walk-off fashion to the Griffins (15-2, 3-1) in Frankfort on Monday. CJ Weins, was the hard-luck loser on the mound for Lockport. Bryan Fox led the Porter attack with two singles and he drove in the lone Porter run.
SOUTHWEST PRAIRIE
Plainfield East 7 Oswego 1
The Bengals (16-2, 6-1) moved into a tie with Oswego East (11-4, 6-1) in the SPC with the win. Ryan Louck (4-1) fired a four-hitter at the Panthers (10-5, 3-4). Sean Hebreard led the
Bengal attack with two hits and three RBI, while Jake Havis, chipped in with two hits. Nick Baldassano, drove home a Bengal run.
Plainfield North 2 Minooka 1
The Tigers (10-4, 5-2) slipped past the defending SPC champion Indians, behind a five-hit masterpiece from Brady Miller (5-1). Miller struck out eight Indian batters.
Minooka (8-6, 3-4) was led by Cherokee Lebeau, who had two hits, while Luke Faifer drove home the lone Indian run. Simon Herold (2-3) went the distance, allowing just two hits for Minooka.
Plainfield Central 4 Joliet Central 3
The Wildcats (10-6, 3-3) held off the Steelmen on Monday. Wildcat junior Chris Conrad drove home a pair of Plainfield Central runs, while Charlie Bischoff picked up the win with a solid six inning performance on the mound. Wildcat closer Trevor “Swamps” Hicks nailed down his third save of the season.
Joliet Central (8-9, 0-7) was led by Ethan Darley, who had two hits and drove home two Steelmen runs. Nick Gutierrez and Greg Honiotes, each had hits for the Steelmen.
Romeoville 3 Joliet West 2
Scoring two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, erasing a 2-1 Joliet West lead, the Spartans (2-15, 1-6), picked up their first SPC victory on Monday. Malachi Riley, drove home a big Spartan run, while Jeremy Kingsley and Zach Swearingen, held off the Tigers on the mound.
Kingsley fired 6 1/3 solid innings to pick up the win, while Swearingen retired the final two Tiger batters, to nail down the save
Joliet West (5-12, 1-6) was led Brett Johnson, who had two hits and Joe Keigher, who had a hit and an RBI for the Tigers.
EAST SUBURBAN CATHOLIC
Joliet Catholic 9 St. Viator 4
The defending ESCC champion Hilltoppers (13-3, 5-0), jumped out to a 6-0 lead after three innings and coasted at Gillespie Field on Monday. Zak Gould fired four scoreless innings, with five strikeouts, to pick up the win on the mound. Simon Grashoff and Matt Bebar continued their hot hitting, with a pair of RBIs for each. Justin Conant chipped in with two RBI and Jared Cushing had two more hits. St. Viator falls to 10-6 overall and 2-3 in the ESCC
Benet 13 Marist 0 (Five Innings)
Picking up right where they left off against St.Patrick, the Redwings (8-5, 4-1) crushed the Redhawks in Mount Greenwood on Monday. Senior catcher Brandon Gorz, led the Redwing onslaught with five ribbies while Quinn Moriarty, was brilliant once again on the mound, firing a four-hit shutout at Marist (12-5, 3-2)
Redwing right fielder Aaron Staehely, chipped in with a pair of hits and two RBI.
Notre Dame 6 MCC 3
The Dons (5-7, 1-3) picked up their first ESCC victory behind two RBIs from Kyle Schuster and three hits from Nick Moore. Nick McManamon chipped in with two hits and Joe Buiekma, had a solid six inning performance on the mound to pick up the Don win.
MCC falls to 5-8 overall and 0-4 in the ESCC.
WEST SUBURBAN GOLD
Leyden 4, Downers Grove South 3
The West Suburban Gold leading Mustangs (8-5, 4-1), fell at home to the Eagles (6-8-1, 4-3)
WEST SUBURBAN SILVER
York 11 Downers Grove North 1
The Trojans (7-8, 6-3) were knocked out of first place in the WSC-Silver by the Dukes (11-4, 4-2). Jack Carr had a perfect 2-for-2 day at the plate for DGN and Parker Webber, singled home the lone Trojan run
INTERSTATE 8 NORTH
Lisle 5 Sandwich 2
The Lions (10-7, 4-1) kept pace with Coal City with the win over the Indians on Monday. The Lions exploded for four runs in the bottom of the fifth at Field No. 7 in Lisle. AJ Casmer picked up the win on the mound, allowing a run in his solid five-inning performance.
Aaron Cail picked up a Lion RBI while Zach Heidenry, picked up another hit.
Westmont 6 Plano 3
The Sentinels (8-8, 2-5) ended their five-game losing streak, with the win over the Reapers (3-15,0-8). Mike Kokoszka and Matt O’Leary, each had two hits and drove home a pair to lead the Sentinels to victory.