By Drake Skleba
For the Bugle
On a picture perfect day on “The South Side”, for a crucial Southwest Prairie Conference battle between Plainfield North (18-5, 11-2) and Plainfield South (16-6, 11-2), the North Side Tigers won 4-2, behind Gavin Doyle and Brady Miller. Doyle got the Tiger’s started, when he blasted his third round-tripper of the season, over the centerfield fence, for a 1-0 North lead, in the top of the first.
Tiger ace right-hander Brady Miller, went the distance, scattering eight hits and ending the game with a flourish. Miller would pick up his seventh strikeout of the game to improve to 7-1 on the mound, for North.
In the second inning, the bottom of the Tiger order, hurt South starting and losing pitcher Austin Richardson (5-2).
No. 8 hitter Chris Miller, would single home Cam Kissel, who had walked. Miller would score on an RBI triple, from No. 9 hitter Ryan Summers. Summer’s triple fell six inches inside of the right field foul line.
“With the lefty on the mound for South, I went up to the plate with the mindset to hit it the other way,” Summers said. “It felt good to drop it right inside the foul line in right field, for the big triple. Great win! Brady (Miller) was amazing as usual and we look forward to playing South again.”
The Cougars would close to within 3-2, on an RBI groundout from Connor Blake and a sacrifice fly off the bat of AJ Mannucci. Tony Mosher and Justin McGuigan, led off the Cougar third with singles and would score the two Cougar runs.
In the fifth, Doyle would drive home Tiger catcher Greg Budig, who had doubled, with a big insurance sacrifice fly, to give the Tigers a 4-2 lead.
“It’s always great to beat the other Plainfield schools,” Doyle said. “Saw the ball really well today. Even my outs were hard hit. Great way to start the week with a big win! We have a number of big games this week.”
In the fourth and fifth innings, the Cougars left runners on second and third base, as Miller picked up a huge strikeout in the fourth. In the fifth, Mosher (2-for-4, 2B), who could have easily had a four-hit day, ripped a laser to Tiger left fielder, Eric Mickenberger,to escape the Cougar threat.
“Gavin’s (Doyle) home run in the first inning was huge for me,” Miller said. “Getting the 3-0 lead on Chris Millers’ RBI single and Ryan Summers’ triple, really helped. I had to battle through a couple of tough spots in the fourth and fifth. Although I didn’t have great command, I feel good about helping us get this huge win.”
“A really great team win, “Plainfield North head coach John Darlington said. “Gavin’s (Doyle) first inning home run was big and Brady really battled tonight, against a great South team to get us the win. We weren’t great tonight but we continue to play solid baseball.”
SOUTHWEST PRAIRIE
Plainfield East 12 Romeoville 1
The Bengals (23-3. 11-2) pulled into a three-way tie atop the SPC standings, with Plainfield North (18-5, 11-2) and Plainfield South (16-6, 11-2), with the win.
Bengal starting and winning pitcher Ryan Louck, improved to 6-1, with the four-hitter at the Spartans. Louck had six strikeouts. Joey Fox led the Bengal offensive attack with four RBI, while Sean Blanchard added two hits and two RBI. Andy Hoffman, drove home two Bengal runs while Frank Bryan, had a three-hit day at the plate for East.
Romeoville (3-22, 1-12) was led by the red-hot Dylan Scafuri, who had two more hits for the Spartans.
Plainfield Central 14 Oswego East 2 (Five innings)
Plainfield Central (17-8, 8-5) junior Jac Lindish, stepped to the plate, with the bases full of Wildcats, in Monday’s SPC game with Oswego East (12-10, 6-7). With the Wildcats already leading 10-2, in the bottom of the fifth, Lindish made sure everyone at Painfield Central made it home early for dinner.
Lindish, crushed a walk-off grand slam, to give his red-hot Wildcats’s, their sixth consecutive win. Lindish finished with three hits and drove home six big Wildcat runs.
Wildcat junior RHP Justin Divelbiss (4-4) fired a six-hitter at the Wolves and helped himself with a pair of hits and RBI.
Jake Donahue and Bobby “Boogaloo” Boekeloo, continued their hot hitting. Donahue singled, doubled and had an RBI, while “Boogaloo” chipped in with a single and a ribbie.
Joliet West 8 Minooka 5
The Tigers (7-17, 3-10) stunned the Indians, behind a four-RBI day from Matt Garcia. Tyler Pransky, added three hits for the Tigers, while, Brett Rogina drove home a pair for West.
West’s Dylan Suca and Brett Johnson, each chipped in with a pair of Tiger hits.
Minooka (12-9, 6-7) was led by its red-hot catcher Luke Faifer, who had three hits and drove home two Indian runs. Hayden Laczynski chipped in with a pair of RBI for Minooka.
Oswego 10 Joliet Central 4
The Steelmen (10-15, 0-13) fell to Oswego (15-6, 8-5) on Monday. Alexander Gregurich led the Steelmen with a three-hit day at the plate. Fabian Requena chipped in with a pair of hits for the Steelmen.
EAST SUBURBAN CATHOLIC
Joliet Catholic 9 Marist 2
17 IN A ROW! The Hilltoppers (23-3, 13-0) traveled to Mount Greenwood and cooled-off the red-hot Redhawks of Marist (20-7, 10-4), in an ESCC game on Monday. The win was the 17th consecutive win for the Voyager Media top-ranked Hilltoppers. Matt Bebar, had two hits and had 4 RBI, to lead the Hilltopper attack.
The usually red-hot Tony Fleischauer, had an off-day in Chicago, with only one hit and two RBI, while Hilltopper RHP Zach Hise, fired a three-hitter, with six punch-outs, to pick up the win on the mound.
Tuesday night at Route 66 Stadium in Joliet, the Hilltoppers, with a win over Marist and a Benet Academy loss to Nazareth, would give the defending ESCC champs, their second consecutive ESCC championship. Game time is 7:15.
Benet Academy 12 Nazareth 2
The Redwings (14-10, 10-4) kept their slim hopes for an ESCC title, alive with the six-inning romp past the Roadrunners, on Monday. Jared Novak (WP) and Dolan Glasgow, combined for a five-hitter on the mound. Redwing catcher Brandon Gorz continued to hammer the baseball, with two more hits and three RBI.
Paddy Hincks’, little bro, sophomore Connor Hincks, added a pair of hits and drove home three runs, while Aaron Staehely, continued his hot-hitting, with two hits and two RBI.
INTERSTATE 8 NORTH
Lisle 3 Westmont 1
In another edition of “The Old Plank Road (Ogden Avenue) rivalry, between Lisle and Westmont High Schools, the Lions of Lisle (15-10, 11-3) prevailed. The Lions scored twice in the top of the seventh, to break up a 1-1 tie and do on to the victory.
Zach Heidenry and Sam Russo, drove home huge Lion runs and ace RHP AJ Casmer, improved to 7-2 on the mound, with a three-hitter, with seven punch-outs.
Westmont (12-14, 3-11) starting and losing pitcher, Alex Marotta, was outstanding, going the distance and firing a three-hitter, at the Lions.
The two rivals will meet again on Tuesday night, at Benedictine University, in Lisle at 6. The Daily Roundup will be in Lisle, for another edition of “The Old Plank Road Rivalry.”
SOUTHWEST SUBURBAN BLUE
Sandburg 14 Lockport 3
The Porters (15-11, 4-3) were hammed by the SWSC Blue leaders from Sandburg (16-4, 6-1). CJ Weins doubled and drove home two RBI while Collin Woulfe, continued to attack the baseball, with two hits and an RBI.
WEST SUBURBAN GOLD
Hinsdale South 8 Downers Grove South 4
The Mustangs (15-7, 10-3) were rocked at home by their archrivals from Hinsdale South at home on Monday. Mustang ace Nick Stacey (6-1) was knocked out in the fourth inning by the red-hot Hornets (14-9, 10-3), forcing a tie for first in the WSC Gold.
The two rivals play again in Darien, on Tuesday and back in Downers Grove on Thursday.