By Drake Skleba
For the Bugle
With sole possession of first place in the Southwest Prairie Conference on the line, the hosts from Plainfield North and their guests from Plainfield East, put on a show, that will not be soon forgotten.
With two out in the top of the seventh, and North ahead 2-1, Bengal Frank Bryan, stepped to the plate, with teammate Andy Hoffman, on first base.
Bryan hammered a two-run bomb, that soared over the left field fence, giving the Bengals a 3-2 lead. The SPC classic moved into the bottom of the seventh.
With Bengal ace right-hander Luke Lamm (7-1), one-out away from his eighth win, against no defeats, the Tigers No. 9 hitter Ryan Summers, stood in the way.
“I was looking for a fastball and got one and hammered it into the gap,” Summers said. “It felt great off the bat.”
Summers crushed an RBI double, scoring Nate Curtis, to tie this classic up at 3-3. Summers would go to third, on the throw to the plate.
The menacing presence of Tiger leadoffman, Greg Budig (2-for-4 RBI) stood in the batters box, next. Budig’s laser of an infield single, would score Summers, with the game-winner and immediately stamp this game, a 4-3, “Instant Classic”.
“These are the moments you live for,” Budig said.” I got a good swing on the ball, to get the game-winner. East is a great team and we knew we were in for a dog-fight, from the beginning. Eben (Heine) pitched outstanding for us.”
For the first five innings , the classic was a pitcher’s duel, between Lamm and Tiger sophomore Eben Heine.
In the Tiger first, for the fourth time, in his fourth consecutive game, shortstop Gavin Doyle (2-for-2, HR RBI), hammered a blast that left the premises, for a solo homer.
“Another great win for us over a great team over there in Plainfield East,” Doyle said. “Ever since he was a freshman, Greg Budig, has been coming up with huge hits for us. I was looking for an off-speed pitch and I got one and was fortunate to hit it out again, on the first-inning homer. I am really seeing the ball well, in this hot-stretch, I have been on.”
That would be all of the scoring, until the top of the sixth, when the Bengals, Jack Havis, Nick Baldassano and Sean Hebread, would hit three consecutive singles, with two outs. Hebreard’s single would score Havis, with the tying run.
In the Tiger half of the sixth, Tiger left fielder, Brady Miller, made the Bengals pay for two defensive miscues in the inning.
With two outs and an 0-2 count, Miller ripped a shot past Baldassano, at third and into left field, scoring courtesy runner, Noah Mazza, with the lead run. 2-1 Tigers heading into the top of the seventh
“What an up-and -down game of emotions for us, “Miller said, “A great win in a great game.
I have been getting under the pitches too much lately and I just squared up an inside fastball, for the single that gave us the 2-1 lead. Ryan (Summers) came up with the biggest hit of the season for us.”
The seventh inning dramatics, were a credit to both of these powerhouse Will County schools., who will meet again on Monday. This time on “The East Side” of Plainfield at 4:30.
The Daily Roundup will be there and so should all of you.
“Great game. Two great teams. Lucky we had the last at bat,” Plainfield North head coach John Darlington said. “Ryan Summers with a huge hit for us in the gap and then Greg (Budig) wins it for us. More of the same on Monday, although hopefully, not as stressful.”
SPC REPORT
Oswego 6 Plainfield South 5
The Cougars (16-8, 11-4) lost another one-run affair to Oswego (17-6, 10-5) on Thursday night. Cougar first baseman Cody Phillips, led South with a pair of doubles and an RBI.
Plainfield Central 2 Romeoville 0
The Wildcats (19-8, 10-5) rolled to their eight consecutive victory behind Zach Rana. Rana struck out eight and fired a two-hitter at the Spartans (3-24, 1-14). Charlie Bischoff, continued his hot-hitting with two more hits, while Justin Divelbiss, chipped in with a pair of hits,
Minooka 5 Oswego East 4
The Indians (14-10, 8-7) trailing 3-1 as the game headed to the top of the sixth and rallied past the Wolves (12-12, 6-9) in Oswego. on Thursday.
The Indians would score three times in the sixth, to tie the game at 4-4, In the top of the seventh, the Indians would score again to take a 5-4 lead,into the bottom of the seventh.
Josh Bell would slam the door on the Wolves, in the seventh for the win. Junior Zach Stoner, led the Indians with two hits and two RBI, while Mike Schellhorn, would drive home an Indian run.
Joliet Central 4 Joliet West 2 ( 8 innings)
For the first time in the 2018 season, Kevin Fitzgerald’s Joliet Central Steelmen, come home with an SPC win!
The Steelmen (11-16, 1-14) scored twice, in the top of the eighth and Carlos Garcia, slammed the door on the Tigers, in the bottom of the eighth, for the Steelmen victory. Garcia fired 2 2/3 scoreless innings of relief to pick up the win, on the mound.
Fabian Requena, had three hits and two huge RBI, for the Steelmen. Johnny Slattery, also had a pair of Steelmen ribbies.
Tiger Dylan Wolff struck out nine, in his solid six innings of work for the Tigers (7-18, 3-12).
INTERSTATE 8
Lisle 8 Coal City 5
The Lions (16-11, 10-4) did it again, to Interstate 8 North champion, Coal City (24-5, 14-2) at Field No. 7 in Lisle, on Thursday. Trailing 4-1, as the game went to the bottom of the fifth, the Lions exploded for four runs, to grab a 5-4 lead.
After Coal City, scored a run in he top of the sixth, to tie the game at 5, the Lions responded again.
Three Lion runs would cross the plate, in the bottom of the sixth. The Coalers were shut down in the seventh, and the Lions would pick up the huge I-8 North win.
Zach Heidenry, led the Lion 12-hit attack, with three hits and three RBI. Damien Guerrero chipped in with a pair of huge Lion RBI.
DuPage River Report… Frustrated Coal City fans were seen jumping into the nearby DuPage River, out of utter frustration at being swept by the Lions, in the I-8 North 2-game series.
NONCONFERENCE
Benet Academy 5 Wheaton Warrenville South 3
The Redwings (15-12) won the nonconference affair in Lisle on Thursday. Connor Hincks and Greg Ahern combined for a five-hit masterpiece against the Tigers. Jack Schneider drove home a pair of Lion runs, while Collin Berry chipped in with an RBI.