By Drake Skleba
For the Bugle
Under the lights the on new field turf, at Route 66 Stadium, the Voyager Media’s Terrific Ten top-ranked Hilltoppers, clinched another East Suburban Catholic Conference championship tie, on Monday night. Behind University of Notre Dame-bound, lefty Aidan Tyrell’s (9-0) five-hit shutout, the Hilltoppers (25-4, 14-1) defeated Benet Academy, by a 4-0 score. Tyrell, picked up seven strikeouts in the game, as the Hilltoppers clinch the seventh ESCC title, in the 20-year coaching career, of Joliet Catholic head coach Jared Voss.
Matt Bebar, had two hits and drove home a Hilltopper run, while Greg Ziegler, added a pair of RBI. Jared Cushing chipped in with a Hilltopper RBI, as well.
Benet Academy (15-13, 10-7) was led by their red-hot right fielder, Aaron Staehely, who had two more hits, while third baseman Jack Schneider, chipped in with a hit.
On Tuesday at Benet, with a win, the Hilltoppers will clinch the fifth outright ESCC championship for Voss.
SPC REPORT
Plainfield North 2 Plainfield East 0
The Tigers (21-5, 14-2) clinched at least a tie for the Southwest Prairie Conference championship, with the win. North’s Western Michigan-bound RHP Brady Miller (8-1) fired a four-hit shutout at East (24-5, 12-4) and drove home the only run he would need, in the third inning.
Western Michigan-bound Tiger SS, Gavin Doyle’s solo blast, in the top of the sixth, gave the Tigers a 2-0 lead. For Doyle, it was the fifth consecutive game that Doyle has homered.
Mother Nature provided 75 minutes of lightning delays, before the game resumed in the bottom of the sixth.
Having thrown just 45 pitches, before the rain delay, Miller threw 23 more pitches, to finish off the Bengals. Not without a fight.
With two outs in the bottom of the seveth, the never-say-die Bengals rallied behind, singles from Dalton Crowder and Andy Hoffman. Up to the plate stepped up Thursday’s Bengal hero Frank Bryan. Could Bryan do it again?
Miller induced a roller to second baseman Ryan Summers who threw to first baseman Cal Cangilla, and the Tigers of Plainfield North, cliched a tie for SPC supremacy.
Plainfield South 10 Oswego 2
Win No. 599 for Plainfield South head coach Phil Bodine. After Thursday’s heart-breaking loss at Oswego (17-7, 10-6), the Cougars exploded for six runs in the fourth and rolled to the SPC victory. Cougar second baseman Connor Blake led the Cougar attack with three hits and three RBI. Cougar leadoffman Tony Mosher, added three hits and two RBI while first baseman Cody Phillips chipped in with a pair of hits and two RBI.
The diminutive left with the BIG arm, 5-foot-8 junior southpaw, Austin Richardson (6-2), fired a five hitter at the Panthers, with seven punch-outs.
Plainfield Central 9 Romeoville 3
Ten in a Row! The red-hot Wildcats (21-8, 11-5) won for the 10th consecutive time and took over sole-possession of fourth-place in the SPC with the win, Junior Anthony Noble (5-2) fired a five-hitter at the Spartans (4-25, 2-14) as the Wildcats scored five times in the first inning to give Noble a big lead.
David Ascensio and Jake Donahue led the ‘Cat attack with two hits and two RBI, each.
For the Spartans Malachi Riley, drove home two Spartan runs, while Juliano Cain, chipped in with two Spartan hits.
Minooka 5 Oswego East 2
The Indians (15-10, 9-7) won again, sweeping away the Wolves (12-13, 6-10), behind Cole Alstott and Seth Gutknecht, who each had a pair of Indian hits. Simon Herold (4-5) and Jack Bell, combined on a seven-hitter. Herold (4-5), picking up the win and Bell nailing down the save.
Joliet Central 3 Joliet West 2
The Steelmen (12-17, 2-14) swept away their archrivals from West (7-21, 3-13) behind Johnny Slattery on Monday. Slattery drove home a pair of Steelmen runs, to highlight the three-run first inning for the Steelmen, at Central.
Steelmen starting and winning pitcher, Jared King, struck out nine in his game-winning performance, allowing just two runs. Steelmen closer Carlos Garcia, nailed down his fourth save of the season, once again, slamming the door on the Tigers, in the sixth and seventh innings.
Matt Garcia, continued his hot-hitting for West with a hit and an RBI.
WEST SUBURBAN GOLD
Downers Grove South 9 Morton 0
The Mustangs (18-8, 12-4) kept pace with Hinsdale South (16-10, 12-4), atop the WSC Gold with the win. Nick Stacey (7-1), fired a one-hitter at Morton with seven strikeouts. Anthony Stellato, continued to crush the baseball with three more hits. Keegan Garland, had two hits and drove home four RBI for DGS. Cam Crowley, drove home two more Mustang runs, while Jack Blazevich, chipped in with a single and an RBI.